


Baby, It's Just Biology

by Polkadotdotdot



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: A Wild Plot Appears, A/B/O, ABO, ABO Fluff, ABO Love Story, ABO Romance, ABO Wedding, Alpha Ben Solo, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Angst, Developing Relationship, F/M, Forest Sex, Harvard would never put up with this shit, I'm British so my college timetable was very different, Knotting, Leia Organa knows stuff, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Maybe A Little Plot, Miscarriage, Modern Love Story, Omega Rey, Oral Sex, PWP, Porn With Plot, Professor solo, Rey in Heat, Reylo - Freeform, Rose Tico is a badass friend, Rose Tico is the pitbull we all need, Rough Sex, Sensual Sex, Sex, Shower Sex, Smut, Soft Boy Alpha Ben, Soulmates, Star Wars - Freeform, Star Wars AU, Topping from the Bottom, Vaginal Sex, Where did all this plot come from, and she's a good sport about it, lovely lovely smut, reylo au, student rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-05-15 18:14:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 112,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14795480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polkadotdotdot/pseuds/Polkadotdotdot
Summary: For Rey Jackson, trying to finish your degree in Biomedical Science at Harvard is difficult enough when you're one of the few Omegas on campus.It's made even more difficult when your Professor is the one to trigger your heat. You can't help it, it's just your biology.An Alpha Omega love story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!
> 
> This is the first A/B/O dynamics story I've written. It's an idea that popped into my head since I'm at university studying biomedical science (NOT Harvard...) and since the idea wouldn't disappear, I thought I'd just take it and run. I'm not completely experienced writing smut but I hope you enjoy what's in my filthy little mind.
> 
> I am, of course, still writing 'Rewrite The Stars' so keep an eye out for those updates too! 
> 
> Feel free to follow me on Tumblr - https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/ - come and say hi!

[](https://imgur.com/QvbaFQM)

 

 

“SHIT!”

The flashing, LED time on her bedroom table told Rey Jackson that she was late.

Great. Just great. It was her first day of a new set of classes and she was now forced to choose between turning up late or turning up unwashed, neither of which she particularly wanted to do. Not when it was Professor Solo’s class.

Rey was in her final year at Harvard studying Biomedical Science with a specialisation in Omega studies. She would have been lying if there wasn’t a selfish motivation behind her choice. Omegas were becoming more and more rare with advancements in medicine that allowed Betas and Alphas to procreate safely.

Being an Omega impacted every day life more than Rey ever wanted. She took suppressants everyday to hold down her raging pheromones, lest an Alpha lose control around her. She would grumble to herself every morning as she swallowed her pills. Why should she be held accountable simply because her biology, something she couldn’t help, would trigger something in another person? Wasn’t it up to them to control themselves?

Apparently not. Not according to the government. Not when Alphas and Betas outnumbered Omegas at almost 500 to 1, the last time the statistics were in. Laws were there to help her at least. Employers and Universities had to allow mandatory sick leave for Omegas in heat, Alphas were allowed leave of their own to care for their mate until their heat passed. For every positive there was a negative that made Rey feel sick. Alphas couldn’t be held accountable in court for anything they did under the influence of their biology if they could prove it.

It was an Alpha world. Rey was just living in it.

She cursed and huffed, rushing around her apartment throwing together whatever outfit she could find. Skinny jeans, black converse sneakers and her Harvard sweater would have to do. She sighed at her reflection, pulling her hair into a bun and finishing off her look by spraying herself with perfume.

_Way to make a good first impression Rey…_

Grabbing her backpack, she left her apartment, slamming her door and setting off in jog towards the campus. Generally, she was grateful that she lived less than a block away but at that moment, she wondered why she had bothered moving out of the dorms.

Panting as she neared the medical building, her phone buzzed.

 

 _Rose_ < _Where are you? I’ve saved you a seat! > _

She smiled down at her phone. Rose was one of her best friends, having met her the first day of college. She was a Beta who wanted to study the long-term effects of Alpha and Beta relations. At first it had been her fascination with Rey’s Omega designation that had caused her to strike up a conversation but soon the girls discovered they had more in common than just their classes.

_Rey <I’m omw! Stupid alarm didn’t go off this morning _ _:(( >_

_Rose <I’d say better late than never but we’re in Solo’s class. You know how he is!>_

Ah yes, Professor Solo. Professor of Biomedical studies, expert in the epidemiology of Alpha Beta and Omega dynamics and one hundred percent Alpha male. Rey had seen girls on campus swoon, physically swoon, after the young professor and honestly, she could hardly blame them.

He was only just in his thirties with messy black hair. His face, was angular with a strong nose and jaw, scattered with beauty marks and his eyes, so deep brown they seemed to go on forever, but his most attractive feature? His voice. A deep, velvet tone that held the attention of anyone he spoke to. It was this reasoning that Rey thought being in his class wouldn’t be so bad, despite the fact it was notoriously difficult to pass at all.

She burst into the class, breathing heavily as she finally pulled herself into the seat next to Rose. The smaller girl smirked at her.

“That’s quite a casual look you’ve got going there!” She laughed, and Rey rolled her eyes, sighing in dismay.

“Look, it was this or my jammies,” She snapped between panting breaths, “Just be happy I made it here at all. Jesus, did we have to sit right at the front?!”

“Well how was I supposed to know you’d be dressed like a student stereotype?”

Rey had a reply on the tip of her tongue, but it was cut off by the man himself entering the lecture room. Professor Ben Solo hadn’t bothered to wear a jacket that morning, the air still mild enough to do without. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, his navy tie on but slack around his neck and the sleeves rolled up to the elbows.

“Good morning everyone,” he said, dropping his briefcase onto his desk, “I’m glad most you managed to make it on time!”

He paused suddenly, his eyes snapping to Rey who found herself frozen under his scrutiny. Heat rose up her neck as she watched him inhale deeply through his nose, his eyes darkening for only a split second before he composed himself with a quick shake of his head.

“What the fuck was that?” Rey whispered to herself, feeling Rose elbow her lightly in the side.

“Did you take your suppressant this morning?” her friend asked quietly.

_Shit._

“I forgot…I was running late…” Rey mumbled.

“Could be it. Odds are you’re the only Omega in here…”

“Ladies is there a problem?”

The heat Rey had felt earlier was nothing on the embarrassment she was feeling having every eye in the room on her and Rose. Luckily, Rose was quicker off the mark than she was

“No, Professor. Sorry!” She apologised quickly, leaving Rey still in a state of minor mortification.

Ben nodded sharply.

“As I was saying,” he continued, his deep voice ringing through the room, “Today we’re going to be discussing a controversial topic, something that many have strong views of and that’s about the role of Omegas in modern society,”

Rey felt herself tense, her back straightening and she caught Ben’s eye with an unrelenting stare.

“So long ago, Alphas and Omegas were responsible for procreation, with Betas filling a secondary, passive role. Obviously as we’ve evolved, human’s have moved past their own biology. People fall in love, they want to be together despite their designations and with that comes the medical advancements that mean the mortality rate among Betas breeding with Alphas has decreased exponentially. So…if this is the case, what role do Omega’s play in modern society?”

He looked around the room, silently opening the floor for opinions.

“I, for one, think it’s unfair that Omegas can take time off and still get paid for it, all because they’re horny!” a girl with a slightly nasal voice declared, “If everyone did that, nobody would get any work done!” A light smatter of laughter rolled over the class.

Except from Rey who was biting her pen so hard it was going to crack.

“Well, it’s a little more than that,” Ben drawled, “Anyone who has taken Biochemistry 101 will be able to tell you that a _heat_ is very different from just wanting a bit of action,”

Rey agreed firmly with that. She had only been through two heats in her short life and only because it was recommended she came off her suppressants once every few months to let her hormones regulate. Without an Alpha, it had been the more excruciatingly uncomfortable experience she had ever felt.

“Of course, this is why Omegas are now prescribed suppressants to help control their heats as well as make life easier on the Alphas around them,”

Rey snorted. Loudly. Ben titled his head curiously at her.

“Do you disagree, Miss Jackson?” He asked. Rey lifted her head up from her notes, her eyes wide with surprise, not realising that she had been so loud. She cleared her throat, ignoring that she could smell his heady scent from the front of the room.

“I just think it’s a little rich that people would assume the reason an Omega takes suppressants has anything to do with making an Alpha’s life easier when in actual fact, that never crosses their mind,” she reasoned. Ben nodded thoughtfully.

“And honestly, Omegas have enough to deal with. Being told it’s up to them to supress their own biology and if something happens then it’s _their_ fault? So really, why should Omegas make an Alpha’s life easier when nobody is trying to make their life easier?”

His eyes narrowed as he watched her, seeing how indignant she was becoming at the subject. Murmurs broke out among the rest of the class, but Rey boldly held his eyes, trying to ignore how good he smelled. Like rich coffee and spice. Suddenly he smiled, just enough to lift the corners of his mouth.

“A very interesting point of view,” he said, “and one that is seldom heard, no doubt because as with so many things in life…if it doesn’t affect people, they don’t feel the need to think about it and _that_ , ladies and gentlemen, is what I’m trying to get you to see…just because something doesn’t affect you directly doesn’t mean it’s not important. Even though Betas can and do take all manner of medication to make breeding with an Alpha possible, children born that way tend to suffer health problems later in life…there’s a reason…”

Professor Solo continued his lecture on why Omegas were still important to the future of humanity, how their biology can be used in future fertility treatments and so on. Rey was doing her best to continue listening, but he was so damn distracting.

His voice alone was making her feel hot under the collar and she desperately wished she had worn something under her sweater, so she could relieve her body. His scent was hitting her hard, filling her nostrils and throat. Maddening and calming all at the same time.

Mercifully, the class comes to an end and Rey gathers her notes and bag, so she could leave the room. How could one Alpha’s scent overpower a room of over 30 people?!

“Miss Jackson, a word?”

_Damn. So close._

Rey steeled herself, waving to Rose and telling her that she would be right there, fixing a tight smile on her face as she approached his desk. His eyes brazenly looked her up and down and suddenly she wished she had just taken the late hit, so she could look a little more presentable. His jaw worked as he watched her.

God, why had she forgotten her suppressants for his class?

“It’s not often I have an Omega in my class,” he said with a small smile, “I wanted to check that you were alright. Sometimes the discussions in here can be a little close to the bone,”

“And how exactly did you know I was an Omega?” Rey asked, immediately regretting such a stupid question. He raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Other than the fact it’s on your file and your strong opinions? I caught your scent the moment you walked in here,”

Rey sucked in a breath, the low timbre of his voice sending tingles straight to the apex of her thighs. Stupid biology, stupid Alpha and his downright _delicious_ scent. This was something that could not happen. He was her Professor, she was his student. It just couldn’t happen.

And yet, at that moment in time, Rey couldn’t imagine anything else except his pretty, full lips being put to work. And from how Ben Solo was looking, his hands fisted at his sides so hard his knuckles popped, maybe he was feeling the same.

Stupid suppressants.

“Is this going to be a problem?” Rey asked softly, “I know there’s a lot of other Alphas in this class…”

“No!” Ben insisted, “No…Umm…not at all. You’re taking suppressants, right?” Rey rolled her eyes.

“Course. Why would I want to make life harder for all the Alphas?” she said sarcastically, and Ben had the good grace to look sheepish.

“There won’t be a problem,” He said firmly, and she was wondering, as his eyes continued to take her all in, his mouth parted slightly, if he was convincing her or himself.

“Well…good,” Rey said awkwardly.

The glands in her neck were stinging like crazy and she suddenly felt the desperate urge to scratch at her skin, but she clamped a hand by her side, the other fisting around the strap of her bag tightly. Instead she settled for stretching her neck, desperately seeking any kind of relief.

It was no use and all it served to do was heighten her scent. She could have sworn she hear a growl rumble in the back of his throat, inhaling deeply through his nose, his nostrils flaring, his eyes closing tightly as if he was in pain. Rey took that as a good time to leave, shuffling backwards away from him.

“So, umm…right,” she stuttered, “I’ll see you next time Professor,”

She walked away from him as quickly as she could to try and hide the flush on her cheeks, his scent still intoxicating her. _AlphaAlphaAlpha…_

00000

It was only when he was finally in the relative safety of his office, that Ben Solo relaxed. She hadn’t been in his office yet. It only smelled of his scent. He closed the door hard behind him, locking his door and pulling down the blind over the glass front.

He had other Omegas in his class before. Most had smelled as pleasant as Omegas did to Alphas but this girl, this Rey Jackson was unlike anything he had ever experienced. She was sweet like jasmine, mellow like vanilla and bright like the scent of sun kissed skin. Even dressed down the way she was, he had never been affected so deeply. Every gland in his body felt like it was about to explode.

The way she had rolled her neck in front of him. It had taken a considerable amount of control on his part not to immediately grab her and run his tongue over the scent gland in her neck. He considered himself an Alpha with willpower and it was becoming evident that said willpower was about to be tested to its limit.

“Shit,” Ben muttered to himself, rubbing his hands over his face in frustration.

Three days a week he would have to see her. For at least 12 weeks. How the hell could the scent of one Omega completely overpower 30 other Alphas and Betas? He threw himself down on his chair with a huff, the idea of her still swimming around his head.

He closed his eyes, allowing the filthy things he was imaging to come to life, his hand mindlessly drifting down to the fly on his jeans, popping the buttons. The relief of pressure was instantaneous as he pulled his achingly hard cock free, his hand stroking himself languidly.

Rey lying back in his bed, her slender body completely open to him, her eyes dark with lust as her chest heaved. Rey in heat, begging for his knot, to be pumped full of his cum.

_Please Alpha…_

He bit his lip as he stroked himself, his head tipping back in pleasure as he imagined her slick sex taking all of him. Oh, how he wanted to make her moan for him. From the second he had scented her; his body had betrayed his rational thoughts and all he wanted to do was take her. _Own_ her.

Groaning, he came, his release spurting suddenly over his hand, landing on his shirt. He sighed as his breathing steadied, his heart rate returning to normal and he reaching to the box of tissues in his drawer wiping his hands with an annoyed frown.

Christ, he hoped she had suppressants next time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you SO much for the fantastic feedback so far! I'm really glad everyone is digging my story. Please do comment and if you're on Tumblr, please feel free to share my work!
> 
> https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/

[](https://imgur.com/LwfmUY8)

Rey smiled at herself in the mirror, finishing her hair by tucking one side over her ear.

This time instead of frantically throwing on anything she could find while swearing under her breath, Rey had set multiple alarms that woke her at least two hours earlier than she had to be awake. It was definitely because she had read something about how successful people wake earlier. Or something.

It definitely had _nothing_ to do with Professor Solo.

Besides, if waking up at 5am was good enough for The Rock, it was good enough for Rey Jackson.

She had opted for a black, daisy printed sun dress with a deep V-neck and capped sleeves paired with some black Dr Marten boots. Why people had let this particular look of the 90s disappear, Rey would never know. She felt damn cute and a small part of her hoped Professor Solo felt the same way.

Rey had been around too many Alphas to know when her scent and pheromones were influencing someone. The tension across his shoulders, the flaring nostrils, his pupils blown wide open. It was all there. She wondered if he could tell the effect he was having on her.

_Stupid Rey. The man is a Professor of Omega Studies…of course he could tell…_

The idea should have mortified her. Any other time, any other _Alpha_ and it may have, but this one? This one was doing something to her.

Wandering through to her bathroom, she opened the cabinet and picked up the little orange pill bottle, scowling suddenly when she noticed the distinct lack of rattle.

Shit. _Shit._

Looking down at the empty plastic vessel, Rey was suddenly reminded of the task she had set herself the previous week of going to the doctor to get her physical and therefore another prescription of suppressants.

Another class. With Professor Solo. Suppressant free.

_Great._

_Rey <Help! I think I’m in trouble!>_

_Rose <Omg what’s happened?>_

_Rey <I’m out of pills…like clean out. Today is going to be a nightmare>_

_Rose <Keep calm. You know panicking will just make you spike and that’s like ringing a dinner bell>_

_Rey <Did you actually just compare me to a meal?!>_

_Rose <Well you are a snack gurl ;)>_

_Rey <NOT THE TIME!>_

She sighed in annoyance, throwing her phone into her back and slinging it over her shoulder. Rose was right. Don’t panic.

00000

“I feel like everyone is staring at me,” Rey muttered awkwardly, walking through the quad with Rose, coffee in hand.

“Don’t be silly!” Rose scoffed, “It’s all in your head!”

As her friend finished speaking, a male student walking past them in the other direction craned his head round to look at her, his eyes roaming her body hungrily. Rose winced.

“Okay, except that guy,”

“Urgh! Rose what am I going to do?!” Rey whined, “It was hard enough the first time…”

“I’ll bet he was…”

“ROSE!”

“Okay, okay, sorry!” She laughed, holding her hands up in defence, “Listen, there isn’t much you can do about it and remember what I said, when you panic and get worked up, it makes your scent spike which WILL bring out every natural Alpha instinct for miles…don’t look at me like that, you took the same biochem class I did! Anyway, be zen. Go to your happy place and later today we can get you an emergency appointment to get your meds,”

The girls wandered into the lecture hall, Rey still very much aware that her scent was presenting itself unmasked. Rose was right, she thought, calm. She had to be calm. Besides, what did she have to be ashamed of. This was her natural state and if the Alphas in the room couldn’t handle it, they could leave.

As they moved to take their seats, Rey felt a set of eyes on her from higher up in the hall. An Alpha male with sandy hair and blue eyes was smiling down at her. No, not smiling.

_Leering._  

Even with her Omega instincts that made her want to please, Rey didn’t return his smile. She could smell him from where she was, and it was awful. Sharp and acidic. She wrinkled her nose, scowling at him before she turned back into her seat.

Then, there it was. Roasted coffee beans, dark chocolate, ginger and cinnamon and everything else that made her feel warm and safe. Ben’s scent hit her before he had even entered the room properly and it was like balm for her frazzled soul, her erratic heartbeat instantly falling into a steady rhythm.

_Alpha is here to take care of you._

He hadn’t bothered with a tie today, she noticed. Just a black shirt, unbuttoned at the top, tucked into a pair of jeans. God, black was a good colour on that man. He walked into the lecture hall, immediately catching her eye. She could have sworn she saw the muscle below his left eye jump ever so slightly.

He cleared his throat.

“Good morning everyone,” he called, his voice a little rougher, “Today we’re going to be discussing mating habits between designations and why even today, something considered so outdated is actually still considered important,”

Rey smiled to herself, his scent wrapping around her like a warm blanket. For the first time all morning she didn’t feel jumpy and she settled in her seat to listen to him talk.

“As all of you know, mating is a specific biological bond between and Omega and an Alpha. The mating gland can be found here, just off the superior trapezius,” he indicated to a diagram on the display behind him, showing a human’s back, the gland marked at the junction between the neck and shoulder. The perfect position for an Alpha to bite during a rut.

“When an Alpha choses to mate with an Omega, normally during a heat, this gland is bitten hard enough to just break the skin and enzymes in the Alpha’s saliva combine with the wound creating a new biological marker in the Omega’s scent, which tells other Alphas that this Omega is spoken for,”

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

Her glands were beginning to itch again, desperate to be scented. As subtly as she could, Rey rubbed her inner wrists with her palms, applying as much pressure as she could.

Ben faltered in his speech, his eyes sharply finding hers and she stopped all motion, frozen under his scrutiny. Awkwardly, coughed, reaching for the bottle of water on his desk. Taking a sip, Rey watched open mouthed, her throat going dry, as some of the excess liquid dripped down his full lips and he wiped his mouth with his hand.

Christ what she wanted those lips to do to her.

“So, in an age where people get married all the time despite their biological marker, why is mating still important?” Ben asked the room, “There’s evidence that shows a mated Alpha is far less aggressive, unless their mate is threatened. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that considering there are far more Alphas than Omegas in the world, that can be a bit of a problem,”

“But can’t Alphas and Betas mate?” someone in the class called out. Ben shook his head.

“Not in the same way,” He said, “Betas lack that particular gland which means no biological marker. You can call yourselves mates all you like, but it wouldn’t be strictly true,”

Ben continued to talk, fielding questions from his class, his dark eyes every so often coming back to Rey’s before darting away, his jaw clenched. It was like he was trying to avoid looking at her and failing miserably. The logical part of Rey’s mind was mortified but her Omega mind was secretly thrilled.

_Please notice me, Alpha. Let me be good for you, I could be so good._

She had seen the porn. Alpha and Omega. Women lying back, legs spread begging for an Alpha to fill them, knot them. Despite knowing how desperate you could become during a heat (not that those women were _actually_ in heat. There was no way you could look that good…) Rey always found it tacky, the idea that you would just give yourself up like that.

Now, watching the man in front of her, this ridiculously well spoken, well educated man who smelled downright _edible_ …she got it.

“…and I want to see those papers on my desk in two weeks’ time!”

Shit. What paper? Rey had been so distracted with thoughts of wrapping her thighs around his head that she had completely missed the assignment. She growled under her breath. Stupid hormones.

“I gotta run Rey,” Rose said, “I’m already late for a meeting with another professor! See you at lunch?” Rey nodded with a smile, telling her friend she would catch her later.

The room emptied steadily while Rey pushed her books into her bag, until she was almost the last to leave.

_Just walk out. Don’t look at him, just walk the hell out._

What did her head know anyway? She glanced up to see that he was leaning forward on his desk, staring directly at her, his eyes so dark they seemed black. His hand gripped the edge of the mahogany, the muscles in his forearms twitching with the effort. Unconsciously, he licked his upper lip. An action that sent immediate shocks straight to Rey’s already aching centre and Rey bit her lip to subdue the groan that wanted to escape her.

11 weeks. She had 11 weeks left of this.

“Professor,” she breathed her goodbye, averting her eyes as she walked out of the class.

She could still smell him.

00000

By the time Rey had finished her meeting with Professor Holdo, the corridor of the science building was virtually empty, and she assumed most students had gone out for lunch to try and make the best of the good weather while they still had it.

Holdo was an Omega just like Rey and every four weeks she had a guidance meeting with the woman to discuss any issues that may come up because of her status. It was a small comfort, Rey supposed but she most certainly did _not_ bring up the fact she wanted to jump the bones of her epidemiology Professor.

“Hey there,” an unfamiliar voice suddenly sounded in front snapping her from her thoughts and she stopped walking immediately, her head looking up in surprise.

The Alpha from her morning class was standing in front of her, that smile still on his face. It wasn’t friendly. It was predatory, and it made Rey’s stomach sink.

“Um…hi,” Rey said awkwardly, “Can I help you?”

“You’re Rey right? You’re in my Omega studies class with Professor Solo?” the fair headed man said, “I’m Jack,”

“Oh…yeah. Nice to meet you, Jack,” She said, “If you’ll excuse me…”

“What’s the rush?” Jack drawled, stepping closer to her. He wasn’t as big as some of the Alphas Rey knew but he still had a good few inches on her, “Don’t you want to stay and talk a little? I thought we could get to know each other…”

“I’m a little…busy,” Rey said, looking around her to see if there was a way past. Behind her was a dead end. He advanced on her, Rey walking backwards away from him until he rounded, herding her until her back was against the hallway wall.

“You might be one of the only Omegas on campus,” he leered, leaning forward and pinning her in with his arms, “and you smell…”

“Back off!” She tried to sound threatening, but her voice emerged as more of a plea than a threat with any weight behind it.

“Come on now, don’t be like that,” he quipped, “Don’t you want a nice strong Alpha to take care of you?” Rey sneered.

“Show me one and I’ll let you know,”

Jack growled, leaning forward and deeply inhaling through his nose. Rey felt vaguely sick. He smelled all wrong, like citrus and solvents, gagging her throat. Danger, Omega, this is _not_ the Alpha for you. Danger.

“We’ll see how defiant you are when I’ve got my teeth in your neck and my cock in your wet little cunt Omega!”

“Harkness! Back away from Miss Jackson, _NOW_!”

Warmth. Safety. Calm. His voice echoed through the hall like a thunderclap, the other man instantly jumping away from her body to the other side of the hall, the relief coursing through her veins making her feel like her legs would give way any minute.

Ben Solo had emerged from his office down the corridor, his face darker than Rey had ever seen it, murder in his eyes that were fixed on the other student.

“Take one more step near her, I dare you!” He barked, Jack’s face paling in the mans presence. Rey had felt it instantly. He wasn’t talking to him as a teacher.

He was commanding him as an Alpha.

“Ye…Yes sir,” Jack mumbled, “Sorry sir,”

Ben reached out to grab Rey by her upper arm, pulling her from the wall to his side.

“If I see you near this Omega again, there will be consequences. Do I make myself clear?”

Jack didn’t even verbalise a response, only nodding frantically before stumbling away. In a haze, Rey allowed herself to be lead down the corridor, Ben by her side, his warm hand resting gently on her lower back.

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

His scent brought calm to her frantic beating heart, the adrenaline of the fight or flight response still coursing through her system. The warmth of his had against the thin fabric of her summer dress boiling against her skin.

_It’s okay. Let Alpha take care of you._

If his scent was strong in the lecture hall, his office was saturated in it. Every surface screamed his signature and it cocooned her like a protective wall, blocking out all memory of the other Alpha’s scent.

He guided her to the chair in front of his desk, sitting her down and crouching in front of her to meet her eyes.

“Are you alright?” he asked gently. His voice still reminded her of thunder but rather than the loud clap of before, it was a soft sound, rolling across hills. A warning of an impending storm. She took a deep breath, nodding.

“Yes, I’m…I’m fine,” she breathed, “Just another Alpha asshole, I guess,” He grunted.

“No Alpha about it,” he growled, “The guy was just an asshole full stop. Doesn’t matter what his designation is,”

Of course, Rey knew that wasn’t strictly true. Had Jack been a Beta, there was a good chance he wouldn’t have been brave enough to try anything. He certainly wouldn’t have been able to scent her. She could only nod her agreement at him, his dark eyes locked with hers.

The silence around them deafened her, her breathing coming in shallow gasps as his eyes roamed her face, flicking to her lips. His throat bobbed as he swallowed thickly, abruptly standing and breaking their spell.

“Um…have you been taking your suppressants?” He asked, roughly clearing his throat. Her scent was intoxicating him. He felt drunk and had to create some distance. He walked to the window, grabbing the latch and opening it the crack that it would allow to try and let some air in. It wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.

“I kind of…ran out,” Rey sighed, and he spun around to stare at her incredulously.

“You…what?” He stammered, “Rey…don’t you know how dangerous that is?”

“For whom exactly?” She asked flatly, and he paused, a frown knitting his brows together. He pulled his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“For you!” he said, “You’ve done the classes, you know coming off your meds will make your scent and pheromones ten times worse. It can take months to stabilise!”

“I didn’t exactly do it on purpose,” She muttered sheepishly, “Wait, how did you know we were out there?”

He blinked at her, wondering how put his next sentence without making him sound like a creep.

“I…I smelled you,” he replied, “I know your scent from my class, but I could smell something else, you were spiking so I wanted to see if you were okay,”

She remembered Rose’s warning from earlier. Panic makes your scent spike. Rey stood from the chair, stepping closer to him, her sudden movement making him freeze, his eyes trailing her movements.

Wasn’t he supposed to be the hunter in this scenario?

“Why?” she asked, “What does it matter to you?”

He closed his eyes tightly. She was so close to him, gazing up at him with those wide, innocent, hazel eyes. Her pink lips parted slightly breathing him in.

“Because…” he growled, his restraint being tested.

“Because why?”

“I think you know why,” he replied low, “You’re a smart girl, you know what I’m talking about,”

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

She just wanted to touch him. She wanted to feel what that wall of chest muscle was like under her hands. One touch and she could leave, that’s what her body wanted, right? Tentatively she reached out, the flat of her hand splaying across his chest, feeling his heart hammering against it’s walls. His eyes squeezed shut at the feel of her hand, scalding against his skin.

“Rey…” he said, halfway between a growl and a plea. His cock ached, straining against the fabric of his boxers and jeans. It would have been so easy to take her then, swipe all the debris from his desk and throw her down. To rip off her panties and bury his tongue in her dripping cunt. She wanted it, he could smell it.

“Alpha…”

What was she doing?! He was her professor. He was her professor and she was his student and her desire for him was all manner of wrong. Her body had other ideas and apparently so did his.

Fisting her hand on his shirt, she closed the gap between them. Their kiss was anything but chaste as she immediately granted him access to her mouth, his tongue running along hers, the force of their kiss sending her back against his bookshelf. He could worry about the volumes that clattered to the floor another time.

Desire painfully rolled through her stomach as his mouth made his way along her jaw, her head tipping back to allow him access. Her skin tingled feeling his tongue swipe and lick across her gland. He had never tasted anything like it, like her.

“Please, Alpha…please,” Rey moaned breathlessly against him, his stubble scraping against her skin in delicious friction. She didn’t even know what she was asking for, she was so delirious with _want._ His teeth nipped at the soft of her neck, her hands tangled in his dark hair as her hips ground against his thigh that has pried her legs a part.

This was how she was going to die, she was sure of it. She was burning up from the inside at his touch, one of his large hands holding her wrists above her head against the bookcase as the other trailed down her neck, her collarbone to her breast and down her stomach.

_Touch me Alpha, please touch me. I’ll be good. I’ll be so good._

His fingers are so close it’s torturous, skimming the hem of her short dress and the bare skin on her inner thighs.

“You want to play with me little Omega?” His deep voice rumbled through his chest, vibrating through her body and all Rey could do was nod helplessly, a whine in her throat as she panted. He could have asked her anything and she would have agreed to it.

Knock.

A sharp knock at the door brought Ben straight back to his senses, the haze of lust and raw, Alpha power lifting and he stepped away from Rey so quickly she thought she had burned him.

“Professor Solo? Your 1 o’clock is at reception for you,” someone called through his door.

Smoothing out the wrinkles on his shirt and his hair, Ben cleared his throat while Rey smoothed her dress, admittedly still a little more spaced out than he was.

“Give me ten minutes,” he shouted and the person on the other side of the door agreed and walked away.

They both stood away from each other, the distance causing and ache in Rey’s chest. She needed him close. Her body was screaming for it. Both were breathing heavily, their eyes wide and glassy with arousal.

“That…that can’t happen again,” Ben choked, his voice still thick with desire betraying his words. Rey didn’t even try to hide the anguish on her face.

“But why…”

“Because you’re my student and I’m your teacher,” he said firmly, “I’m sorry about…that…but…Jesus fuck…” he was so wound up, he could barely think of the right words to say to her. All he could think about was her scent, how warm her skin was under his hands, how tight her body was and how her cunt would feel full of his knot…

No. Stop.

“I’m sorry,” Rey breathed, “I…I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never given in to those urges like that before…”

“It’s okay,” he said gently, “It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I should be able to control myself…just, your scent is…wow,”

Rey blushed, bashfully looking to the floor, smoothing her skirts once more. He really had to stop staring at her like that, it was doing nothing for the situation between her legs. Her underwear was already practically soaked through.

“I should go,” she sighed, moving to pick up her bag, “Thanks again, for your help earlier…” He smiled at her softly.

“You’re welcome,” he said watching her walk out of his office with forlorn expression written all over his features.

_Anything for you, Omega_

Hours later, when he was grading papers, he could still smell her on his skin.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Heat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not one for slow burn. What can I say, I'm impatient!
> 
> Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews so far, I'm REALLY enjoying writing this story. Hence why you filthy lot are getting 2 updates in 1 day!

[](https://imgur.com/R2jprsl)

Ben sighed for the umpteenth time as he entered his apartment, throwing his bag and jacket onto his sofa before he collapsed into a nearby armchair, pulling off his glasses and rubbing his face.

What he was feeling was a perfectly natural, biological response to an Omega. A careless Omega who had slipped up on taking her suppressants. That’s why her pheromones were so strong. Absolutely why. It could happen to any Alpha.

Right?

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to suppress the oncoming headache brewing behind his eyes. Since she had left his office his whole body had been tense, the muscles in his neck and shoulders hard as concrete all day. He wanted to say it was nothing, but he knew exactly why.

He was a man of science. He had studied biology and specifically the differing dynamics between Alphas and Omegas for almost all his adult life. He knew that his body was reacting to her absence, the deep rooted primal instinct to keep his Omega safe and near him at all times.

Wait. _His_ Omega?

He had thought of her that way, for only a moment, chasing off that other Alpha student. Stupid limp dick asshole who thought he could corner her in a hallway. He had smelled her panic and it had immediately made his blood boil.

_Protect. Defend. Protect._

He shook his head sharply. He couldn’t think that way, not about her. She was his student, he was her Professor. They had to maintain a professional relationship. It didn’t matter if she smelled like nirvana, that her body was perfectly proportioned or that her lips were made to say his name.

Then again, she was in her final year…

His fingers traced over his own lips thinking about their kiss, visceral and aggressive, all tongues and teeth and urgent. Her body was so responsive to his touch, he could smell her arousal from the minute she had locked eyes with him.

No, he was more than just his biology. He was an educated man who knew exactly what was happening to his body, but then, why had he never reacted this way to other Omegas? He had worked with Amilyn Holdo for years and not once had he ever felt this way, and he had been around her when she was about to go into heat. Being around them had been part of his job since forever.

It was her, he realised with a groan, this beautiful, bright little Omega with her scent like jasmine and vanilla and sunshine had invaded his senses and was driving him crazy. He had never paid much mind to the theory of so called ‘soulmates’ although he had read a lot of papers on it. Alphas and Omegas who had such compatible chemistry that they were drawn to each other instantly, like their biochemistry was made for each other.

With a grunt, and some difficulty given the situation in his trousers, Ben pushed himself up from the armchair. He had some research to do.

00000

Rey practically screamed in frustration, slamming the door of her apartment and pulling the security chain onto the door. She launched her back across the room, the backpack landing with a thud in the corner and she threw herself down on her sofa.

Relief. She needed relief from the agonizing tension that had had been building since Ben’s office. When she had kissed him, and he had responded by shoving her against the bookcase and holding her there, his hands trailing over her body, his tongue dancing and nipping over her scent glands.

If her panties hadn’t already been soaked to the point of useless, the memory would have done the trick.

She practically ripped the useless scrap of fabric from her body, sinking two fingers into her soaked cunt and groaning at the instant reprieve, pumping her hand quickly, her other fingers rubbing her swollen clit.

He was in her head. Eyes fluttering closed, her head sinking back against the pillows of the sofa, she could imagine him hovering over her and she wondered what it would be like if it were his fingers mauling her pussy like this.

_You want to play with me little Omega?_

“Yes Alpha, please…” she moaned in the solitude of her own living room. She could see his dark eyes, swimming with lust and dominance, his scent still in her nostrils; warm and spiced.

_Tell me that you want me…_

“I want you…only you,” She groaned, adding a third finger, feeling that two wouldn’t be enough to replicate how he would feel. Just looking at him, she knew he would stretch her in the most gratifying way.

His teeth against her neck, his tongue on her skin, his facial hair scraping along her cheek. It was everything she wanted, his voice in her head, but the only sounds in the room were her own moans and the wet slapping of her own fingers against her dripping heat.

_Cum for me Rey. I want to hear you…Cum for your Alpha…_

She keened from the sofa, her vision whiting out as her orgasm washed over her, sending her body into spasm. Her hand began to slow as her breathing did and she carefully removed her fingers, laughing lazily at the mess of herself.

It wasn’t what she had really wanted, but for now, it was the only relief she was going to get.

00000

After cleaning herself up, Rey had dragged herself to her doctor’s office, promising that she would keep her appointment.

“Right, now what can I do for you?” Rey sighed awkwardly.

“So, I know this is really stupid, but I ran out of suppressants last week and I’ve not had a chance to get down here for more,”

The doctor clicked his tongue disapprovingly, typing notes as he did so.

“I see,” he said, “You know this can have some serious side effects…”

“Yes, yes. I know,” Rey sighed, “Crazy hormones, spiking pheromones. How long will it take to regulate once I start taking them again?” The doctor looked thoughtful but wary.

“Well, it really varies person to person. Some people can take months even after only missing a few doses…other’s can be regulated within a week. How have your symptoms been?” Rey felt a heat rise on her cheeks.

“I’ve been…umm, been scented by a few Alphas but nothing drastic,” She muttered, “I don’t think…” she did her best not to think of Ben’s body pressed against hers in his office.

“Is this going to start my heat?” She asked quickly, “because I really don’t want to have to go through that,”

“The brand you were on? It shouldn’t, especially since it says here your last heat was only a few months ago…unless it’s triggered by a particularly potent Alpha or a mate. Have you been around anyone like that recently?”

Rey paled. No. No, no, no. This was not what she needed now.

She had heats before, but she had always struggled through them by herself, never really meeting an Alpha that she had trusted enough to take care of her. It had been a torturous and painful week, her various toys never quite filling the empty void that a knot would fill.

“Possibly…” she answered flatly, a pained expression on her face. The doctor nodded.

“Alright, well, you’ll just need to wait and see how things pan out. You might be lucky, and the suppressants will keep things under control until you’re ready to take your regulation break but if it doesn’t, do you have an Alpha who will be able to ease your symptoms?”

_Do you have an Alpha who’ll be able to take a week off to fuck you full of his cum?_

Rey winced at the doctor’s clinical description. Typical Beta who had never experienced the excruciating burn of a heat.

“Umm, no,” She said, “I usually just see to it myself,” The doctor levelled her with a sharp glance.

“That is…generally inadvisable, Miss Jackson…”

“Listen, I know, but I’ve done it before and I’m sure I can do it again,” she snapped. He nodded reluctantly.

“Alright, well, just in case, I’m going to give you an up to date contraceptive shot,” he said, moving over to the side of the room to prepare the needle, “If you do decide to see to it yourself…”

_If you do decide to masturbate until your fingers bleed…_

“…Then remember to drink plenty of water and eat at regular intervals. You’ll need to stay hydrated. Also iced showers may help ease the symptoms,”

Rey smiled politely. It was nothing she didn’t already know. She flinched as the needle went into the back of her arm, a slight sting as the fluid moved into her system. This was sensible at the very least.

She thanked the doctor, picking up her prescription on her way out and following his orders to take two of the little pills right away, then she proceeded to pull out her phone. There was already a message waiting for her.

_Rose <How’d it go at the docs?>_

_Rey <Got my meds but he says there’s a chance I’m going to be heading to heatsville :((>_

_Rose <Damn. Got anyone who can help you out there? *nudge nudge wink wink*>_

Rey blinked at the question. She wanted to say yes, that she had _just_ the Alpha in mind. The same one she had roughly kissed in his office; the same one she had imagined finger fucking her only a few hours earlier.

_Rey <Nope. I’ll be seeing this one out solo if it hits>_

She sent the message, not realising her wording until her finger had hit the button. She smirked the rest of the way home.

00000

She smelled better than ever.

Ben had to grit his teeth, his jaw clenching painfully as she walked into his class. His chest constricting as she shot him a small, shy smile, gazing at him through her long dark lashes. He at least had the control to smile back. It was easy really, he wanted to smile around her.

The smile soon slid from his face as Jack walked into the room. The Alpha student caught his eye for only a moment and noticing the cold, violent stare Ben was giving him, he averted his eyes to the floor, heading straight for the back of the room without giving Rey a second look.

_That’s right. I’m the Alpha in this room._

“Today we’re going to be looking into a rather interesting subject,” he said, beginning his lesson, “We’re going to be talking about soulmates,”

The class broke into confused and excited whispers and chatter, Ben waving his hand to quieten them down.

“I know, it sounds like fairy tales and something you’d turn into a hashtag,” he smirked, the class chuckling, “But the existence of soulmates actually has biological evidence, rare as it is,”

“Oh my god, that’s so romantic,” Rose gushed quietly, Rey smiling warmly at her friend, scrunching her nose cutely at Rose’s reaction.

“It’s nice you think that chemical reactions in the brain are romantic, Miss Tico,” Ben quipped, “Soulmate is a flowery name for a specific type of mated pair, almost always Alpha and Omega, who have a particular chemical pairing. Their bodies have an affinity for each other that is incredibly in sync and this has a lot of benefits for both parties. Easier heats for the Omega, easier ruts for the Alpha, fertility is increased tenfold so without any form of birth control, a heat will almost always result in conception,”

Rey wasn’t sure when her breathing had begun to deepen. Maybe it was when she had first entered, and his fresh scent hit her, or perhaps it was when he had begun to speak in his deep, rich tones. Was it just coincidence this was the subject of his lecture? The things he was saying made so much sense to her about their situation. No other Alpha had made her body respond the way he did. Her body practically sang under his touch.

“There are negatives too though,” he continued, “Separation can be difficult. In Alphas, it can cause tension, irritability moving into full blow fits of rage the longer they’re separated from their mate. For Omegas, it can cause heightened anxiety which normally results in extreme nesting,”

A member of the class put their hand up, Ben pointing at them to give them permission to ask their question.

“But wouldn’t it get annoying being around the same person all the time? I mean, I get it, you’re a couple but don’t most people need space?”

Typical Beta question, Ben thought. He shook his head.

“You would think so but no,” he answered, “The chemicals in your body paired with an inherited instinct takes over your thought process. Alphas, by nature, are loyal to a fault once they’ve found a mate. As are Omegas. Even once you scent the person you’ve chosen to be with…that’s it. Game over. You can’t fight it,”

His eyes only flicked to hers for a second but for that moment, Rey could have sworn it was only the two of them in the room.

00000

The bar was packed with people, mainly students trying to unwind after a long day of lectures and tutorials.

Rey grinned at her friends as she approached the table through the haze of cigarette smoke, the dull lights tinged with red and purple from the fluorescent signs on the walls. Finn was one of her oldest friends and he sat with his long-term boyfriend, Poe Dameron.

“Hey peanut!” Finn greeted, pulling her into a hug, “I’m so glad you managed to escape for an evening!”

“Me too,” Rey said, relief evident in her voice, “These classes are so hardcore. I need to unwind,” Poe handed her a beer, pausing as he breathed in through his nose.

“Jeez Rey, not that I’m not happy to see you, far from it…but should you be out?!” He asked, his face etched with worry.

“What? What are you talking about?”

“You’re scent…” Rey rolled her eyes. Poe was an Alpha and even though he was technically bonded to Finn, that didn’t stop his instincts.

“Oh, yeah I’ve been off my meds for about a week by accident, so I know my scents probably going to be a little bit…strong,” she dismissed, sipping at her beer. Poe shook his head.

“No, it’s more than that…you’re about to start getting a little hot under the collar!” Rey paused, the bottle hanging in mid-air on it’s journey from the table to her mouth.

“How do you know that?” She questioned, “I don’t think I feel any different…”

“You don’t yet, but it’s all over your scent!”

“Poe, baby, maybe you’re wrong?” Finn said, “I mean, look at her, Rey looks fine to me!”

Rey smiled gratefully at her friend, but she knew deep down that Poe was probably right. Finn was a Beta. He had almost zero nose for scents. Poe shook his head, sending her a sympathetic look.

“Sorry kiddo,” he sighed, “The nose doesn’t lie. If I was being generous, from how you’re smelling, I’d say you’ve got maybe two days tops before it really hits you,” Rey groaned, chugging back her beer.

“I guess that gives me a little time to prepare. Get in some supplies, let the college know I’m going to be taking some heat leave,”

“Do you have someone to…y’know…help…with that?” Finn asked awkwardly. The last thing he really wanted to do was think of someone he considered his sister getting fucked by someone for five days straight, but he also didn’t want to think of her in pain. Rey shook her head.

“No, I’ll deal with it,” Poe’s eyes widened in alarm.

“What?” He exclaimed, “No, no way…Rey, come on…that’s insane and totally not necessary. I don’t know a single Alpha who would turn down an Omega in heat. Surely you can find someone?”

_The one I want doesn’t want to cross that line again…_

“I’ve never found someone I’m comfortable with,” She explained, “I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again,”

Both Finn and Poe looked at her sceptically, knowing full well how much of a hellish time their friend was about to go through, but they decided to drop the subject on Rey’s request, moving on the spend the rest of the evening discussing their courses.

It was all Rey could do to ignore the throbbing that had begun in her mating gland.

00000

So much for two days.

It was the following morning when Rey began to feel the beginning effects of her heat, starting as it always did. The glands in her neck were painfully tender, her lower body had begun to cramp and already she had begun to feel painfully hot.

“Okay, you’ve got lots of bottled water in the fridge. I’ve also left you fresh fruit and a load of meals made up in Tupperware that should last you at least five days. Are you sure you’re going to be alright by yourself?” Rose asked in concern as Rey walked her to the front door.

“Yeah…I mean…it won’t be good, but I’ll have my phone with me at all times. If there’s a serious problem, I’ll call you,” Rey said with a smile, but Rose shook her head.

“No! Remember the rules,” she scolded, “If there’s a serious problem you call 911 first _then_ you call me, okay?” Rey nodded, fighting a wave of dizziness that washed over her. She needed to lie down.

“Okay,” She sighed, “I think I’m going to go and lie down. Tell the college for me?”

“You bet,” Rose said, “Be safe!”

Rey waved her friend away at the door, the easy smile slipping from her face as she felt her skin being to tingle.

00000

She had done exactly what she had promised Rose she would do.

After Rose had left her apartment, Rey had gone to her bed, opting to lay on the top sheet due to her rising body temperature. She had woken with a jump, feeling like every inch of her was burning from the inside out. She wanted to peel her skin off, it was so sensitive.

Her uterus was swollen now, she knew that much, preparing for some Alpha to come and knot her and pump her full of his cum. Having been to all the lessons and read all the books, she knew that was the best way to see a heat through. It was the only thing that calmed the body, it was the whole point of an Omega going into heat.

It wasn’t an option for her.

Water. She needed water. Her mouth was so dry and he body was crying out for release. She checked the time as she rolled over, surprised to find that she had slept through the whole night and it was 7am the next day. Good. Her body would need the rest for what was about to happen.

00000

Something wasn’t right.

Ben had been tensed for days now, every muscle in his body solid and uncomfortably tight. At first, he hadn’t been able to put his finger on why until his Wednesday morning Omega Epidemiology class rolled around and Rose Tico had walked into the class, taking her usual seat.

Alone.

It was then it dawned on him. Some educated expert he was. He hadn’t scented Rey in days, not since his last lecture, and his instincts had begun to work themselves into overdrive. Despite his promise to himself that she was just another Omega, that it was all just a chemical reaction in his blood, Ben was finding that he was becoming increasingly short tempered, snapping at students and faculty members alike.

Even his lecture that morning was less that cordial, refusing to take questions and snapping at anyone who looked like they would interrupt what he was trying to say. Any other day he welcomed free discussion of ideas but not today. Not while he was so wound up with Alpha pheromones.

“Miss Tico,” He called as the class came to a finish, trying his best to keep his voice level and calm, “Where was Miss Jackson today? From my understanding she hasn’t been to any of her classes for the past 2 days?”

How did he know? Because, like the definitely not obsessed Alpha Ben Solo was, he had accessed her timetable and asked her other Professors.

Obviously.

Rose shuffled on her feet, awkwardly looking around her as the remainder of the class filed out of the lecture hall. Ben huffed impatiently.

_Fuck everyone else. Answer me._

“I don’t really know if it’s my place to say anything…” Rose began, chewing her lip. Ben frowned. He really didn’t need a Beta testing his patience, but he didn’t want to explode at the poor girl. It would get him nowhere.

“Rose, please…I’m simply…concerned for Miss Jackson’s welfare,” He ground out, his jaw working in agitation. Rose raised an eyebrow, supressing a smirk.

_I’ll bet you are._

“Okay, but I’ve already told the office so there’s no need to report it,” She said, lowering her voice, “Rey went into heat about 2 days ago,”

Ben froze, his fists balled at his sides so tightly he could feel his nails digging into his palms, his knuckles popping as his left eye twitched ever so slightly.

“I see,” he said tightly, “And…umm, I take it she has…assistance?”

If Rose suspected anything behind his question, she didn’t let on, keeping her face as passive as she could but she winced when she answered, clearly not happy with the situation.

“Oh, no,” she sighed, shaking her head to emphasise her point, “Rey always sees out her heats alone. I told her it’s a stupid idea, that she’s putting herself through hell for nothing, but she always insists…poor girl, I can’t imagine what she goes through,”

Ben didn’t have to imagine. He had been in the field long enough to know exactly how an Omega felt in heat without someone there to work them through it. The idea of Rey alone and distressed that way made him feel sick to his stomach, the tension rising in his body to breaking point. He barely felt his nails drawing blood from his palm.

“Are you serious?” he choked incredulously, and Rose nodded.

_Protect. Defend. Protect._

There it was, that Alpha instinct again rushing through his blood, making him lightheaded as his heart sped up, beating wildly in his chest.

“Rose, I don’t want you to ask questions but where is Rey now?”

“Um…she’s at her apartment,” Rose said carefully, “but what…”

“No. Questions!” he growled, “I can get her address from the office records but really it would be simpler if you would be willing to give it to me?”

This was an Alpha/Omega thing, Rose guessed and from the look on the taller man’s face, she decided it was best to just do as he asked for now and ask Rey questions later when there wasn’t an irate Alpha in front of her.

Quickly she jotted down Rey’s address on a scrap of paper, tearing it from her notes. The second the paper grazed his fingertips, Ben was sprinting out of the room, leaving a very confused Rose in his wake.

00000

Pain.

All she could feel was pain. A huge, gaping emptiness inside her that needed to be filled. She had cum 4 times on her own, but nothing was bringing her relief anymore and it felt like her insides were twisting and pulling in protest to her not fulfilling her Omega duties properly.

She lay on her living room floor in the foetal position, her arms wrapped around her aching body. Nothing was working, not the cold showers, nor drinking iced water. Everything that touched her skin burned, reminding her that her body craved an Alpha’s touch and nothing else.

Why had she thought she could do this alone again? Every time she got to this point she was reminded just how excruciatingly painful heats could be. Two days she had been at this, her body not allowing her to sleep for more than half an hour at a time. She was exhausted, practically delirious.

There was a thudding on her door. It sounded so far away, and her head felt so heavy as she lifted it from the ground. Slowly, crying out in pain as she did, she pushed herself to standing on shaking legs.

The front door. Someone was at the front door.

“Rey! Rey open the door!”

That voice. That soothing, deep, Alpha voice. It was a command that she felt deep in her bones and compelled to obey. Strange, she had never experienced a true Alpha command before, but her body was moving on pure instinct, albeit, slowly. She felt like she was walking through molasses, every step taking more effort than the last.

Her hands shook as she fumbled with the chain, pulling it from the door so she could throw it open. His scent hit her like a sledgehammer in the chest, warm but safe and comforting.

“Ben?” she breathed, “I don’t…why…I can’t…”

Her mind couldn’t process what was happening. All she could focus on was the intense pressure inside her body, screaming at her to be filled. Without a second’s hesitation, he rushed forward, grabbing her in his arms and using his own strength to hold her up.

“Shh, it’s okay…I’ve got you…” he crooned, a deep rumbling in his chest that instantly soothed her frazzled, confused mind. She didn’t know how he had come to be there, but he was with her, solid and real against her aching body.

“It hurts,” she sobbed, tears running down her cheeks, her breathing harsh and shallow.

Instinctively he rubbed his glands against hers, scenting her to try and calm her breathing before he glanced up, so he could see where he was taking her.

“I know sweetheart,” he soothed, “I’m here. I’m going to take care of you,”

Her legs were next to useless as he swept her off her feet, carrying her through to her bedroom and lying her down on the mattress. As quickly as he could he kicked off his shoes, pulling off his shirt, jeans and boxers until he was bare to her, his achingly hard cock already weeping in his hand.

In a perfect scenario, he would have taken his time with her. He would have scented her, undressed her slowly and worshiped her perfect body with his tongue until she was boneless with pleasure. There would be time for that later.

Quickly he pulled off her soaked shorts and underwear, her slick practically running down her thighs as she lay bare and spread for him, her chest heaving with the stress her heat was putting on her body.

“Please Alpha,” she begged, her throat practically raw, “Please…I need your knot, I need to be filled…it hurts so much…”

His nostrils flared at the scent of her, spiked so high and ready for him. It was heady and more intoxicating than the strongest drug. With a growl that was more animal than human, he crawled over her body, not wasting another moment to push into her.

He moaned loudly, his head dropping to her neck. She was so hot and tight around him, every ridge of her slicked cunt holding him. Perfect. It was utterly perfect.

The relief she felt was almost instant and for the first time in two days Rey felt like she could breathe again. His scent was telling her he would keep her safe, his solid member inside her fulfilling a desperate need to feel full and stretched.

“Ben!” She cried his name, clutching helplessly as his strong back as he set a punishing pace, thrusting in her with a primal growl, holding her eyes, silently promising her that he’s here, he’s going to make her feel better.

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

“God, you feel amazing…” he managed to growl out, staring at her as if he’s spellbound, as if she was the only anchor he had to the world and he could feel that she was teetering on the edge of oblivion.

“Cum for me,” he commanded, “Come for your Alpha,”

Her orgasm hit her in waves, her abdomen contracting sharply and releasing the intense pressure it had been holding for the past two days and she keened from the bed, holding onto him for dear life, feeling his knot expand and fill her so perfectly and as pleasure hit her, the relief from pain was instantaneous leaving her a quivering wreck of tears and sweat.

Ben groaned long and loud, his forehead against her shoulder as he came in long hard spurts, his hot cum filling her, soothing the burning ache inside her. This. This is what she had been missing. Not an Alpha.

Him.

Carefully and still very aware that his knot was still locked inside of her sensitive cunt, he turned himself onto his side, Rey lying next to him, her leg thrown over his hip and her face buried in his chest. Her breathing began to slow to the first normal pace she had experienced since her heat had properly began and she could feel the flat of his tongue licking against her gland, a low hum vibrating from his chest.

_Safe. You’re safe now. Let your Alpha take care of you._

She couldn’t get close enough to him, pulling herself against his chest, inhaling his scent deeply but she needed to see him now that her delirious, heat addled mind had begun to regain control. She pulled back, blinking up at him with bleary eyes.

He smiled at her softly, pushing her sweaty hair from her forehead before he leaned down to kiss her sweetly. A stark contrast to how they had been only moments ago.

“Shh. Sleep now,” he whispered against her lips, “I’ll be here,”

She nodded against him, her head falling to his chest once more, allowing his scent to cocoon her and his crooning to lull her into a peaceful sleep, safe in the shelter of his body.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm genuinely bowled over by the response to this story. Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and leaving positive comments and kudos. I'm not very well known in the Reylo community on here and on Tumblr so seeing people respond so openly has been amazing.
> 
> Come and say hi to me on Tumblr - https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/
> 
> Without further delay...more smut!

[](https://imgur.com/xDOl4jB)

The first thing Rey was vaguely aware of as she woke up was that something was buzzing next to her. Tentatively, she turned her head towards the sound, her eyes opening slowly and adjusting to the dull light of her bedroom.

Her phone was vibrating against the table, only a few times. A message, she realised. It didn’t matter right now, she would get it later.

Outside seemed bathed in a mellow orange glow indicating that the sun had begun to set. How long had she been asleep for? The cutting pain that had been holding her body hostage had ebbed for the moment and her limbs felt heavy now her muscles had finally relaxed. Distantly in the other room, she could hear a low voice talking. It was all coming back to her.

Ben.

Like a damn knight in shining armour he had burst in and literally swept her off her feet, kissing away her pain, filling her to the brim and she learned what it really could be like to be an Omega in heat with her Alpha.

Clumsily, she pushed herself up to sitting, still wearing her tank top that was soaked with sweat but naked from the waist down. The last thing she could remember was falling asleep, his knot still swollen inside and his strong arms around her body. Where was he now? Why wasn’t he with her?

Unbidden, a predisposition passed down through the Omega generations, she began to panic, her chest tightening. It gripped her throat, her breathing beginning to come in shallow gasps as her eyes frantically darted around the room.

“Ben?” she hated how pathetic her voice sounded as she whimpered his name, feeling like a new born pup crying for its mother blindly.

Almost instantly, as his name left her lips, she heard his heavy footsteps thudding quickly towards her, his weight bending the bed and she was in his arms again, his scent reminding her that she was safe.

“Hey, shhh, it’s okay. I’m here,” He soothed, pressing a kiss against her temple, “I’m here, I’ve got you,”

“Where did you go?” she asked, her voice stronger now she was safe in the knowledge he was still with her. Carefully he leaned back against her headboard, holding her with him.

“I was just calling the University, making sure they knew I was taking heat leave,” he said. She nodded absently.

“Oh, okay,” she said, “How…how did you even know?” She asked, gazing up at him. He was pleased to see her eyes were clearer, the worst of her symptoms under control now he was with her and she had slept.

“Rose told me,” he said, stroking her face, pride filling his chest as she leaned into his touch, “I asked her why you weren’t in class and she told me you were trying to see this out yourself. Rey, why would you do that? You were…it was bad…”

“It’s never been like that before,” she shrugged, nuzzling against his neck, her nose tracing his jaw, “It’s not been great, but it’s been at least bearable,”

“You should have told me,” he growled, “I…Rey you…”

“Shh,” she quietened him pressing her lips against his glands, sucking gently on his skin. He growled low in his throat, his chest rumbling primally.

She smelled divine. Like a field of open flowers after soft summer rain tinged with creamy, smooth vanilla. She always smelled amazing for him, but her heat had brought it to a whole new level and it was having the desired effect on his Alpha body, his cock painfully hard already.

“I’m sorry the first time was so…urgent,” he rumbled, his hands gently fingering the hem of her shirt, pulling the useless material up over her head and throwing to the floor. Wrapping an arm around her waist he rolled her to her back, hovering over her body.

He sat back on his knees, straddling her hips to stare down at her. Even in the darkening light, Rey could see that his pupils were blown wide open, his jaw hanging slack as he breathed through his mouth. She could practically feel the growl from his chest rumbling through his body, his scent hitting her in waves.

This was when an Alpha was at their most dangerous, she knew that, but she wasn’t afraid. He was her Alpha and he was going to take care of her.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, his eyes raking over her naked body. She sucked in a breath, his voice and the sight of him above her sending tremors of desire straight to the apex of her thighs, her clit pulsing in response and she felt a rush of fluids gush from her, a new slick starting again. From the way Ben’s nostrils flared, she knew he had scented it.

He leaned forward, his arms on either side of her head, kissing her with a deliberate slowness that made her groan. He tasted so good, his tongue dancing with hers. She was helpless, her head falling to her pillow and her lashes fluttering as he began to trail whisper soft kisses down her neck and onto her chest.

“I had wanted to take my time with this,” he drawled, capturing her nipple in his teeth and swirling it with his tongue bringing a strangled gasp from her lips before he continued to trail lower.

“I wanted to explore every inch of your faultless body,” he continued, his voice a deep rumble in his chest against her skin.

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

Her back arched from the bed as he moved lower, one of his large hands pressing down on her lower abdomen gently to keep her in place. Instinctively, her legs spread for him and for the first time he was able to really see her properly, her glistening pink folds soaked and ready for him, the scent of her arousal hitting him with force.

He leaned forward, watching her with dark, glazed eyes, inhaling her scent deeply as his cock twitched in response, already weeping copiously.

“I’ve wanted to do this from the moment I smelled you,” he grunted, “You have no idea the effect you have on me,”

He flicked his tongue, the tip barely grazing the edge of her clit and she shuddered, a strangled cry escaping her at the shock of the sensation. He pulled back slightly, regarding her carefully and watching her reaction. Ever the scientist, analysing his experiment.

He smirked possessively, watching her chest rise and fall as her breathing came in shallow pants.

“Oh, you like that sweetheart?” he teased, “You like my tongue on your needy little cunt?”

She nodded desperately, the familiar pressure building in her body again.

“Yes, God yes,” she choked, eyes rolling back as she felt him nuzzle her pubic hair with his nose, purposely staying away from the bundle of nerves.

“God, you smell so… _delicious_ ,” he crooned, his own breathing heightening, “Do you want this Rey? Do you want your Alpha to taste you?”

“Please…lick me, scent me…God, Ben please,” she begged, her voice bordering on frantic as he teased her.

He licked a scalding stripe up her slit from her entrance to her clit slowly, savouring the taste of her and moaning low in his throat as he did before exploring the folds of her labia. She was so wet for him, her slick coating his lips and chin as he moved upwards.

“You taste incredible…it’s like you were made for me…” he breathed against her.

It wasn’t exactly what her body wanted. She needed to be filled, to be stretched and pumped but Christ if it wasn’t the most incredible experience Rey had ever felt. It bordered on holy, his tongue and lips working her throbbing pussy like it was an aperitif, nipping and appreciating every unexplored avenue of her.

Then he reached it, putting her out of her misery, he latched his lips onto her throbbing clit and he sucked, the tip of his tongue drawing circles as he did so. She was practically sobbing in response to his attentions, her head arched back so much that her crown was pressed into her pillow, his hands gripping her hips the only thing keeping her anchored to the bed.

He smiled against her, masculine pride filling up his chest at how she was responding to his attentions. Perfect. She was utterly perfect for him, answering to every one of his actions, her body singing and lighting up under his touch.

The pressure in her was building, her body crying out for her Alpha to take her.

“Ben…please knot me…I need you…”

His absence was painful as he pulled away from her, roughly wiping his face clean of her juices, his iris practically black. He moved swiftly up her body, his teeth nipping against her scent glands, leaving tiny marks against her skin.

“I know what you need,” he breathed, roughly pushing her legs up until her ankles rested on his shoulders.

He thrust into her deeply, his hips snapping against hers so sharply the sound reverberated around the room and she cried out, the relief and pleasure mixed with a sharp nip as the head of him hammered against her cervix.

“Is this what you need? You want my thick cock to pump you full of my cum?” he ground out as he moved. He hands gripped the slats of her wooden headboard, holding tightly against the motion of his hips.

“Yes Alpha, please…give me all of it…” she begged, her eyes closed tightly, feeling him pump her for all she was worth.

“Open your eyes,” he commanded, “Look at me,”

With great difficulty, she did as he ordered, his Alpha tones forcing her to comply.

“You’re _mine_ ,” he grunted, “You’re _my_ Omega and I’m _your_ Alpha and nobody is taking you away from me!”

“Yours, I’m yours…” she panted in agreement, the feeling of him driving in her sending her mind into a tailspin.

He was moving on pure instinct now, his rut hitting him in full force as her voice pledged herself to him. She was his. He was hers. That’s how it was meant to be. Biology didn’t lie. She whimpered at the loss of him as he pulled out from her. Swiftly he grabbed her, twisting her body until she was on her knees and he thrust back into her from behind, the force causing Rey to fall to her forearms.

“Fuck, your pussy is so tight!” he swore, his throat ragged from moaning. He was so deep inside her, his hips cracking against hers with every movement.

He collapsed forward, his arms bracketing her shoulders, gritting his teeth with the effort of his rut, beads of sweat running along their bodies. His tongue traced along her spine, tasting her salted, sweat covered skin until he found it; her mating gland.

She shuddered, crying out as his lips found her most sensitive spot. She had never allowed anyone to touch her there, especially an Alpha. It was so intimate it made her want to cry at the feeling of his hot breath ghosting her skin there, all her fine hairs standing on end.

“Say you’ll be mine,” He breathed, a sudden gentle tone taking over his voice, “I want you…only you…only ever you…”

If they had been thinking logically, there would have been a discussion. He was her professor, she was his student and there were so many things they would have to work out, but now in the midst of her heat, his rut and the symphony of scent and hormones, Rey wanted nothing more than to bind herself to this man, this Alpha for the rest of her days.

“Take me… _take me Alpha_!”

The pain was torturous and beautiful as his teeth broke her skin, the spot between her shoulder and neck burning with his saliva. Her whole body responded by clenching around him, pulling him into her as she came with a scream and he shouted his released, his knot locking them in place.

His arms immediately moved to surround her slender waist, pulling her to the bed with him, her back firmly against his chest.

Relief. Sweet relief.

His deep crooning had begun again in his chest, ancient Alpha reactions soothing them both, gentle as a wild cat’s purr, as his cock continued to twitch inside her, pushing his cum deep inside, cooling the furnace that her body was threatening to become. She sighed in contentment, his tongue licking away the thin line of blood around the outline of his teeth marks, soothing the pain of his brand.

Nothing else mattered anymore, not to Ben. They would work it all out as they came to it. The only thing that mattered right then and there was the precious, trembling woman in his arms who had already begun to smell like him.

“I’m yours Rey,” he whispered against her temple, nuzzling her sweat laden hair, “I’ve always been yours,”

“And I’m yours,” she whispered in returned, “My Alpha…my mate,”

_Mate._

00000

_Rose <How are you holding up? Do you need anything?>_

_Rose <Doing okay?>_

_Rose <Seriously, Rey, you said you would stay in contact with me?!”_

_Rose <Has Professor Solo seen you? I gave him your details, I think he’s worried you’re doing this alone…>_

_Rose <REY IF YOU DON’T CONTACT ME WITHIN THE HOUR I’M CALLING 911. PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOU’RE ALRIGHT!>_

Once Ben’s knot had gone down and they had come to their senses a little more, Rey had remembered vaguely that at some point her phone had been ringing and she rolled over to collect the device, giggling as Ben’s arms had tried to hold her to prevent her from rolling away.

“Ben, I’m only reaching for my phone,” she pacified gently, snuggling back against the crook of his neck when she returned to him.

She couldn’t be angry with him, even if she tried. For one thing, her hormones at that moment physically wouldn’t let her. His scent was telling her body that he was in control and she was more than willing to succumb to it. Another was that she had studied all these reactions before. She knew that a mated Alpha when their Omega was in heat was possessive, territorial, and wouldn’t want to let his mate out of his sight for a single moment.

_Mate_

The idea of being bound to someone in such an intimate way read as intimidating, restricting, but now? Now that it had happened to her, it felt right. It felt like home. This impossibly perfect man was her home now. Her past didn’t matter, only her future. She sighed happily, feeling his stubble brush the sensitive skin under her jaw.

“Rose is worried about me,”

“Why is that?” he said softly, his lips resting against her shoulder.

“Because she knew I was alone and I promised I would check in and let her know I was okay,”

“Well…you’re not alone now,” he said simply. Rey snorted a silent laugh.

“I’m not, but she doesn’t know that…” Now it was Ben’s turn to laugh.

“If she hasn’t worked it out by now then I’m not sure how she’s going to ever pass my class,” he quipped, and Rey rolled her eyes in good nature.

“She’s a Beta. She can’t scent anything,” Rey said, “You should know that,”

“I do but it’s got nothing to do with her smelling anything. I basically demanded your address! The second I had it in my hand I was gone…in a Ben shaped cloud of dust,”

She laughed, and he delighted in the sound, feeling her body shake against his as she did. He liked making his Omega smile.

“What’s going to happen now?” she asked softly, “Once my heat is over and we need to go back to the real world?”

“We’ll work it out,” he promised, his hand absently trailing along her arm, “There are rules in place. They can’t fire me or kick you out because of this, especially since we…”

_Mate_

He kissed the mark over her gland, a shudder running through her body as his lips made contact with the inflamed red skin.

“Does it hurt?” she shook her head.

“No, not really. It’s just sensitive,” She tilted her head up to look at him, a dozy, placated smile on his face and his brown eyes soft and bright, “That’s what you needed wasn’t it?” She asked, stroking his cheek.

“This is the first time I’ve felt truly relaxed since I met you,” he confessed, “I think, well, I _know_ , it’s because you finally smell like me properly,”

“Hmm. So much for feminism,” Rey jested, and he frowned lightly, the smile still on his face.

“Nothing to do with it,” he said, “You’re still your own person, just, now…the world knows that you’ve got me and that I’ve got you,”

“Good,” she grinned, pulling him down and kissing him, “Although, is this going to cause a problem in your class? There are other Alphas in there, they’ll smell it a mile away,” Ben smirked, a possessive growl emanating from his throat.

“I can honestly say, right now, I don’t give a fuck!”

Rey shrieked in delight as he rolled onto her, his lips attacking her throat, his tongue running along her jaw.

_MateMateMate_


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I'm blown away by the response to my little story! I'm so glad everyone is enjoying how I'm writing this ABO style Reylo.
> 
> I have a very set idea about what I like to see and as much as I love Possessive!Ben I also really think a good ABO dynamic should make it clear that an Alpha is just as whipped as an Omega is. That's just my take anyway.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> Come and say Hi on Tumblr! - https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/

The bed was ruined.

Her sheets had been completely soaked from so many sessions between them. She had lost count of how many blissful hours they had spent in each other’s arms; how many orgasms had wrecked her heat addled body. Each time his knot had gone down and his cum had dripped down her legs, they had simply let it fall where it would. There was no point in cleaning it just yet.

They were only going to make a mess again.

Instead of sitting in said mess, the pair had opted for moving through to her living room when her heat wasn’t at its peak, sitting together as Ben hand fed her cut up fruit, Rey taking every opportunity to suck the juice from his fingers as he did so.

“Keep that up and you won’t even need your heat to spike,” Ben growled, smiling as he leaned over to kiss her. She grinned, nipping at his bottom lip.

Rey jumped at the sudden noise from her locked front door, three dull thuds as someone’s fist hammered against it. Ben scowled dangerously, standing and staring in the direction of the offending sound.

_Protect. Defend. Protect._

 Rey grabbed a robe, pulling it around her naked body, Ben having already pulled his boxers on.

“Rey, are you in there?”

The sound of the man’s voice set Ben’s teeth on edge, his shoulders tightening. Rey moved to walk past him to the door, only to find herself guided behind his imposing body.

“Rey? It’s Poe. Open up!”

“Who the fuck is that?” Ben bit out, his brows knitted together in a heavy scowl. He could smell the man behind the door. A strange Alpha that he didn’t know, and it was sending his protective instincts into overdrive.

Rey groaned. While her body was telling her that her mate leaping to her defence was the sexiest thing she had ever seen, and she wanted to carry his babies immediately, the, albeit small, part of her brain that was still thinking clearly was telling her that this was going to cause all kinds of issues and she didn’t want an Alpha fight breaking out in her building’s hallway.

She held his solid arms, quivering with the tension, and turned him to face her, reaching up to put her hands on his neck, massaging his scent glands and holding his eyes. He was still breathing hard, but she was relieved to see some of the tension leave his eyes as his frown softened.

“Shh, it’s okay…it’s okay,” She soothed, standing on her toes to kiss him gently at his jaw, “I know him okay? He’s not a threat…”

“Rey? If you don’t open this door I’m going to have to break the thing down!”

Instantly, the spell she was holding Ben under was broken at the sound of Poe’s threat. The scowl returned to her Alpha’s face and he was practically baring his teeth as he spun back to face where the strange voice came from.

“Like fuck you will!” Ben barked.

_Take me right now Alpha. Please…_

“Not the time body!” Rey muttered to herself, forcing her way past Ben to get to her front door.

“Whoa, who the hell was that? Is someone in there with you?!” she heard Poe call in confusion from behind her door as she turned the key and pulled the security chain off.

Opening the door, she saw Poe standing there, his eyebrows in his hairline and his eyes only growing wider when the scent of her apartment hit him.

“What are you doing here?!” Rey hissed. Ben stalked forward, standing his full considerable height which towered over her friend.

“Whoa…okay…Rose said you weren’t answering your phone and she was worried, so she called Finn. Finn was stuck at work, so he called me…” Poe explained.

“Don’t come near her!” Ben barked, his arm wrapping possessively around Rey’s shoulders. Poe nodded carefully.

“Okay big guy, okay…chill the fuck out,” Poe said testily.

“So, Finn thought he would send you…a technically unmated ALPHA?!” Rey exclaimed incredulously, and Poe held up his hands in defence.

“To be fair, we all thought you were alone…didn’t realise you were actually being sensible for once,” He said, “Who the hell is this anyway?!”

“I’m her mate and if you take one more step towards this apartment I’m going to rip your damn throat out!” Ben snapped, his voice low. It was no idle threat, Rey knew and more importantly, Poe knew it too.

“Ben, please calm down!” Rey pleaded, her small hand pushing fruitlessly at his chest, “Poe, I think you should go _now_!” Poe nodded.

“Right, yeah…I should have guessed. I thought this place smelled different…We’re going to have to talk about this mate thing later…”

“POE!”

“I’m going! I’ll tell Rose you’re fine,” he said, “Call us when you’re…finished,”

She barely acknowledged that her friend was leaving, practically slamming the door in his face and turning her attention to her extremely agitated Alpha who had taken to pacing the room. He was breathing hard, a primal growl emanating from low in his chest cavity and his eyes were unfocused.

“Ben, look at me…” Rey said gently, trying to grab hold of his arm but he continued to pace, his heart hammering and his scent spiking. Grabbing him around the throat again, Rey forced him to look at her, her thumbs tracing his cheeks.

He stopped unsteadily, blinking at her, the haze of his primal urges beginning to lift at her scent. Slowly his eyes began to focus again as the adrenaline left his system. He swallowed hard, his throat bobbing with the effort.

“Rey?” She smiled warmly at him in relief, feeling his arms shakily wrap around her waist.

“There’s my Alpha,” she breathed, “Are you okay?” He nodded, his shoulders finally dropping.

“I…I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me,” he mumbled, “I just…I could smell him, and he was near you and I couldn’t think straight…”

“It’s okay, I’ve got you,” she said calmly, “I’m fine. Everything is fine, we’re both in here…together and alone. Nobody is going to bother us again,”

“Together…alone…” he repeated after her as if trying to comprehend her words.

She pulled him down to her, kissing him soundly, trying to bring him comfort with her touch and her scent. All the things she had studied through the years about Alpha and Omega dynamics she was now learning first hand. People always assumed that the Alpha was the one who was always in control, who called the shots, but it simply wasn’t true. It was a symbiotic relationship. He needed her just as much as she needed him.

While his biology had kicked into overdrive, the gravity of the situation had made Rey almost forget her own. Now that Poe was gone, and her Alpha was back in her arms, her body was reminding her that her heat hadn’t quite finished yet and that Ben’s display of Alpha prowess was more than a little arousing.

Alright. It was hot as fuck.

Stepping back from him, a whimper leaving his lips at the loss of contact, she pulled the belt of her robe away and allowed the fabric to pool at her feet on the floor.

“Take me to bed Alpha,”

00000

She was all around him, invading every one of his senses.

Her fingers gripped against his bare chest as she rode him leaving nail marks in their wake, his hips moving in perfect sync with hers as her head tipped back in a guttural moan. All he could do was grip her hips tightly, encouraging her movements, feeling her walls pulsing around him.

“You feel so good…so perfect…fucking yourself on my cock,” he moaned, his fingers digging into her skin. She was close, he could feel it.

Lost chasing her own bliss, Rey could only moan in response to his voice, the tone causing the tension in her gut to pool in that perfect way.

Closer. He needed to be closer. He pushed himself up to a sit, never breaking the rhythm that she was setting, his teeth scraping over her collar bone, licking at her neck as he held her close.

“I need you…I need you so much…” she panted, her sweaty forehead leaning on his as they moved together, his hand trailing down to find where they were joined. She moaned, her head tilting forward to his shoulder as his thumb circled her soaked clit, gritting his teeth as her own bit into the muscle she found there.

“Cum for me sweetheart,” he whispered in her ear, licking at it’s shell, “Let me feel you fall apart around me,”

They had spent the past four days doing nothing except lay in each other’s arms between heat sessions where they would fuck each other to exhaustion, their combined spend soaking their thighs and hips, but having him so close, his powerful, velvety voice in her ear, was almost too much for her senses to handle.

He kissed her as she came, warmth gushing over his cock, her loud moans of pleasure swallowed by him, tears sliding down her cheeks from the intense feelings he evoked from her. He held her tightly to him as she trembled and shook through her orgasm, whispering sweet nothings in her ear as he knotted her, groaning as her body milked him.

“That was…”

“I know,” he assured her, still holding her close, her forehead against his. He smiled at her softly, moving her hair from her wet eyes, wiping her tears away.

“I don’t know why…” she began to say but he shushed her gently, every movement he made deliberate, designed to comfort his Omega.

“Your heat is ending,” he said quietly, “You’re going to feel a little sensitive. It’s natural, sweetheart,”

She nodded mutely, knowing he was right. She was a biologist, she knew the facts, but feeling it was something completely different. Without anyone there, she couldn’t wait to have her heat end, but now he was in her life, the idea of being without _this_ left her feeling empty and afraid. He gazed at her with soft eyes, his thumb stroking her cheek.

“Don’t be afraid,” he whispered, “I feel it too,”

00000

Rey practically purred as the steaming hot water hit her skin, her heat ebbed enough that she could enjoy a shower. It was a good thing too since neither of them had washed properly the whole time Ben had been there and while their hormone drunk brains thought everything smelled fantastic, Rey was fairly certain the rest of the world would not.

Ben stepped in behind her, enjoying watching the water run down her body as much as he enjoyed the contented, peaceful smile on her face. She was grateful for the size of her shower stall, realising that he was no small man and was taking up most of the space, but like the gentleman he was, he let her stand under the majority of the water.

“I’d forgotten what it was like to be clean,” she groaned, pulling the water through her long hair and grinning up at Ben. His own hair was soaked and plastered to his head, highlighting his ears. She reached up, holding them gently, her thumbs trailing the shell of them.

“You’re so cute,” she gushed, her nose wrinkling and Ben couldn’t help but blush, the tips of his ears going pink and he hoped she couldn’t see them clearly for the steam.

“I always hated my ears,” he muttered bashfully, “Why’d you think I wear my hair long?”

“Well I love them,” she declared confidently, “I love you,”

She froze as the words left her mouth, her feelings suddenly articulated and released in such a natural way it caught her off guard. Was it too soon? It didn’t feel too soon, he was her mate. They were bonded for life. Surely if you took every biological and chemical urge her body went through for him, and had to give them all a collective name, it would be love? That was it.

She loved him.

“You…you love me?” Ben asked, clearly unsure if she had meant it that way, blinking down at her with his soulful, hesitant eyes.

Slowly she released his ears, her hands sliding down his face to hold his cheeks. She sucked in a breath. What if it was just her Omega hormones running wild? She had never experienced a heat with an Alpha, it could have been her body telling her to try and get him to stay at all costs.

No, this wasn’t just any Alpha. This was Ben. Her mate.

“I do,” She breathed, “I know it’s really _really_ fast and that my hormones are all over the place just now and we have so much we still need to know about each other but, I really do…I love you,”

“ _Fuck_ ”

The curse choked from his throat as he grabbed her face, bruising her lips in a passionate kiss as if trying to convey everything he had been feeling since the second his eyes had found her.

She found herself pressed against the cold, wet tiles of the shower, the change in temperature sending a shock up her spine and down to her tail bone, instantly merging with the excitement in her gut. His cock was already solid against her stomach.

“I love you,” he declared breathlessly, his forehead resting on hers, “I love you so fucking much it’s terrifying,”

His hands firmly under her ass, Rey found herself lifted against the tiles, her legs automatically locking around his waist at her ankles and he pushed into her, long and slow, committing every part of the moment to his memory.

Her heat gone, she wasn’t as wet as she had been and the size of him burned slightly but, oh, it was an ache she would welcome every day. Her head made a dull thud against the wall as she tipped back with a groan, but she ignored it, too overstimulated to think of anything else except the man holding her fast in his arms.

“I love you, oh fuck…I love you,” she panted as he thrust up into her, filling her to the hilt, the hot water from the shower still running over their skin.

He was an expert in her body by now, having spent the last few days doing nothing but worship her with his tongue, his hands and his cock, but this was different. This wasn’t animalistic and primal, this wasn’t driven by heat and hormones. It was more than that, a sensual need to show her just how much he loved her, how devoted he was to her.

_MateMateMate_

Bracing her against the wall, thankful that the water was doing a brilliant job of removing any friction between her back and the tiles, he moved his hand to her aching clit, rubbing in circles with the pads of his fingers quickly as he pumped her on his throbbing cock.

“I’m going to…Oh my God, Ben…” she gasped, her vision blurring as he drove her further and further towards the edge.

“Rey Rey Rey…” he groaned, her name spilling from his lips like a holy chant, like she was something sacred to be worshiped and adored by him. Only by him.

Her thighs quaked around him as she came screaming his name, her head tipping forward to his shoulders and all she could do was hold onto him, grabbing at his strong shoulders and back to find purchase in something solid.

It pained him to do so, but he pulled out just enough, so his knot wouldn’t lock with her. The first time he had done so since they had begun their relationship but while he was drunk on her scent and the feeling of her slick, tight walls gripping him, he was also aware of their surroundings and knotting in the shower would only lead to a lot of discomfort when the ecstasy had worn off.

His arms trembling and his seed spilling down her thighs, he carefully put her down, still holding her close and peppering her face with feather light kisses, his nose nuzzling hers as a wolf would.

_MateMateMate_

“I love you Rey,” he whispered against her lips, “I’m your Alpha. I’m yours,”

She smiled brightly, her face still flushed and Christ, if she wasn’t _glowing_ for him and he couldn’t help but smile back, his chest fit to burst with all the feelings she conjured.

“I love you Ben,” her voice was strong and sure, knowing that what she was saying was completely true. A cheeky glint took over her eye, feeling his spend mixing with the rapidly cooling water as it dripped down her skin.

“Are showers supposed to get you clean?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone once again for your kind words about my story! I'm so glad you're all enjoying our favourite college dorks dynamics!
> 
> No smut this time but plenty of fluffy Alpha/Omega Reylo goodness. I am one with the fluff and the fluff is with me!
> 
> I should also add, for those who are asking, I have NOT abandoned 'Rewrite The Stars' - I am just really in a flow with this story at the moment and I'm having a crazy good time writing it :)
> 
> Right you monsters, enjoy! P.S - can we all just appreciate how fucking adorable Kelly Marie Tran is? kthnxbai.

[](https://imgur.com/xCP90pt)

 

“I’m not sure I like you wearing clothes,” Ben pouted from his place lying stomach first on her freshly changed bed, watching as Rey finished pulling her hair into a half ponytail.

Since her heat had finally ended, it was time to join the real world again. The pair had washed and changed, Rey putting the clothes Ben had arrived in through a washer and dryer cycle and they had spent time putting her apartment back to rights.

The only thing that hadn’t survived were her sheets, deciding that even a boil wash couldn’t save them, Rey put them in the trash and made a mental note to buy some cheaper sets for her next heat.

“As much as I share the same sentiment, we can’t hide in here forever,” she said smiling, securing her earring, “You have a job, I have to study…”

Ben huffed, burying his face in the duvet of the bed and muttering something that she couldn’t quite hear under his breath.

“Speaking of,” she began, wandering over to where he lay and sitting on the floor in front of him, his eyes in line with hers, “What are we going to do about that? Everyone is going to know…” Ben rested his chin on his hands to look at her.

“I’m not saying it’s going to be easy. There’s a lot of people who just won’t _get it_ but like I said, there are rules. For now, I think it might be best to just keep it under wraps. Business as usual,”

Rey frowned. Business as usual meant having to maintain a professional relationship on campus grounds. Something she wasn’t sure she could do around him. Her hand traced the mating mark he had put on her skin, the circular scar healed over leaving a white ring of raised skin in the shape of his bite. Even just feeling it soothed her anxiety.

Ben shuffled his body forward on the bed, moving his face closer to hers.

“Hey, come on, it’s you and me okay?” He said softly, tapping her forehead with his, “Nothing is going to change that,”

“I thought my heat being over would make it easier to be away from you, but I really don’t want to, everything is screaming at me to stay by your side,” she sighed, embarrassed that she was feeling so clingy and insecure.

“It’s good to know you paid attention during my lectures,” he said with a wry smile, reaching out with a hand to absently play with a strand of her hair, “We’re mated and recently too, it’s going to take a while for both our hormones to settle. Do you really think I’d rather stand in a room and talk to a bunch of early twenties Alpha and Beta students when I could be here with you? Have you any idea what that cocktail of scents is like? Like human bouillabaisse, that’s what…”

Rey screwed her nose up at the reminder. She knew only too well what it was like to have a room full of Alpha pheromones all invading your nostrils, especially when none of them were what her body was wanting.

“Speaking of staying together,” he said, “We never did talk living arrangements…” Rey quirked an eyebrow.

“Living arrangements? What? Like living together?” she asked, and he nodded, “Don’t you think it’s a little soon?” He frowned in confusion.

“I just spent the past five days injecting my biological enzymes into your mating gland with my teeth, fucking you until you could barely move and telling you that I love you…and you think living together is too soon?”

“Charming,” She jested, stroking his face, “I know it’s just your instincts kicking in but think about it, we haven’t even been on a date yet…there’s a lot we should learn about each other,” Ben’s brow perked up.

“You want to go on a date?”

Rey grinned cheekily.

“Well we did kind of skip dinner and a movie in favour of going straight to the declarations of love and devotion,” she giggled, and Ben grinned widely.

“Alright then,” He said sitting up on the bed and holding her hand, “Rey Jackson will you go on a date with me?” he asked dramatically.

“Hmm, I don’t know…I might have to think about it,”

She squealed in laughter as he jumped at her from the bed, rolling onto the floor and pulling her on top of his chest, kissing her soundly. She moaned lightly against his lips but pulled away suddenly. He whined, a petulant pout on his face that made her want to laugh all over again. Her big strong Alpha could be such a pup sometimes.

“Come on big guy,” Rey sighed, “If you’re going to get to your apartment for fresh clothes before we need to be on campus, we’ll need to leave now. Especially if I’m meeting Rose too,”

He groaned knowing she was right. Even having washed them, he did desperately need a change of clothes, his shirt having lost buttons in the process of trying to undress when he had arrived. He stood, holding out his hands to her and pulling her effortlessly to her feet.

“Can we at least agree if we’re not going to live together that we won’t spend the night apart?” Ben asked, pulling his shoes on, “All you’ll do is nest…I might accidentally murder a pizza guy,”

Rey laughed lightly but knew that it was true, so she nodded in agreement.

“Deal,” She said, “if it makes it easier why don’t you leave some of your stuff here and I’ll leave some of my stuff at yours? It’ll scent the place at least a little,”

Satisfied that they were as presentable as they could be and with everything they needed Rey pulled her front door open for them to step out into the hall of her building. As they began to walk, Rey paused awkwardly, seeing her neighbour from across the hall walking towards them.

Maz was a strange little old lady, with huge glasses that magnified her eyes, giving her the look of a startled owl, but she was always friendly to Rey.

“Oh, hello dear!” she greeted, “Good to see you’re feeling better! I see you have company this time. It sounded like you enjoyed yourself!”

If the ground could have swallowed Rey whole, she would have welcomed that sweet oblivion with open arms. Her face was practically crimson. Rey knew they had been loud, she just hadn’t expected her 90-year-old neighbour to be so open about it. The walls in her building weren’t that thick. She glanced at Ben, expecting him to be just as mortified but instead there was something akin to masculine arrogance on his face.

Of course, his instincts would want people to know what they had been doing. What _he_ had been doing to her.

Stupid Alpha hormones.

Maz laughed heartily at the younger girl’s discomfort, shuffling forward and peering at Ben with her huge eyes. He blinked, keeping still under her scrutiny.

“Oh, he’s a handsome one too. Tall and strong,” She declared, “If this is how they’re building Alpha’s these days then sign me up for the next heat!”

Rey could only stand staring dumbfounded and slack jawed at the old lady as she shuffled into her apartment, closing the door behind her. She turned to Ben, still blinking in shock at the encounter with her neighbour, while Ben grinned smugly.

“I like her,”

00000

They walked together hand in hand, chatting and laughing about anything that came to their minds. It was a different experience for Rey. Normally, even once her heat had ended, she felt awful, like suffering the remains of a flu that wouldn’t leave, but she felt good. Better than good.

Her skin glowed with radiance, her hair was shiny, and her body was filled with a sense of calm and security unlike anything she had felt before. The scientist in her wanted to note down her new post-mated feelings. It was all Ben and his Alpha pheromones mingling with hers. It had to be.

They reached the entrance to the coffee shop across the street from Ben’s apartment, the same shop Rey had told Rose she would meet her in. Ben stopped walking, pulling Rey’s hand to get her to stop too.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked tentatively, “You want to tell your friends about us?” She nodded, standing on the tips of her toes to kiss him.

“Absolutely,” she said, “Not telling them will make things so much harder for us and besides, Poe has already seen you and Rose will have questions. Don’t…don’t you want to meet them?”

“Of course, I do!” He assured her, “but…if this gets out in the wrong way, they can say what they like about me, I don’t give a fuck…but you, I don’t want this coming back negatively on you!” Rey smiled at him, stroking his face with her thumb, something about his scent and pheromones compelling her to need contact with his skin.

“People are going to find out anyway and you know it,” she sighed, “At least this way, we have control over how at least three of them hear,”

“Alright, I’m following your lead on this one sweetheart,” he said, “Besides, I already know Miss Tico…technically,

“Miss Tico?” Ben blushed.

“Sorry, force of habit,” He said, “Okay, you go inside. I’ll run across to my place and get changed. I won’t be long,”

She kissed him goodbye, already feeling the weight of his absence as he crossed the street to his building. Reaching to her mark, she rubbed the raised sensitive skin, reminding herself that he was coming back.

_Come on body, pull yourself together!_

“Rey! Over here!”

Rose could be spotted inside the café instantly, standing up from her chair and waving her arms frantically with a large grin on her face. Rey smiled at her, approaching the table and wrapping her friend in a hug.

“Oh my God, I’m so glad you’re okay! I’ve been so worried about you,” Rose said appraising her friend, “But you look good…better than good. You look amazing, have you been using a new facewash or something?” Rey shook her head, taking her seat at the table.

“I think it’s got something to do with my hormones,” Rey said, “This heat ended up slightly…umm… _different_ than the others,” Rose shot her a wicked smirk.

“Oh yeah, Poe told me you finally caved and got yourself a rent-a-stud,” she laughed, “So, who was it? Anyone I know? OH, was it that guy Jack? I know he’s been sniffing around,” Rey stuck out her tongue, making her disgust for the aforementioned Alpha known.

“Jack?! Christ, No,” she drawled, “He smells like a tide pod. It was someone else…”

Her hand drifted back to her mating mark again, the action so instinctive, Rey wasn’t even aware she was doing it. Rose’s eyes widened, homing in on the bite mark.

“Rey…is that what I think it is?” Rose gasped, “Have you…did you _mate_ with someone? I didn’t think Poe was telling the truth…”

“Um. Kind of…sort of…yes,” she stammered, “Yes, I did,”

Rose stared at her open mouthed.

“Holy. Shit. Rey, this is _huge_!” She exclaimed, “I mean you basically got married…no, wait, it’s bigger than marriage! You’ve biologically bound yourself physically, mentally and emotionally to another human for the rest of your life…”

“Yes, I’m very much aware of that, Rose,” Rey drawled, rolling her eyes, “We did take the same classes,”

“Well, who is it? Do I know him?”

“You…could say that,” Rey replied carefully and slowly, trying her best to think how to break the news to her overly excitable friend. Rose nodded towards the door.

“Check it, there’s Professor Solo,” she said, “Did he speak to you during your heat by the way? He seemed really antsy at the idea of you trying to do it alone,”

Rey blinked at her friend, the rest of her face blank. Did she really not know? Ben’s earlier sentiments about Rose’s ability to pass his class echoed in her head and she bit her lip to stifle a snigger.

“Shit, he’s coming this way!” Rose muttered, busying herself with her oversized coffee mug and taking a large gulp to avoid an awkward conversation.

How was she ever going to keep things business as usual around this man? Rey gazed up at him with adoring eyes, his scent filling her lungs, exciting her and calming her in the same breath. He smiled down at her, his brown eyes bright and warm as his pupils dilated for her.

_MateMateMate_

“Hi,” he breathed softly, leaning down to kiss her lips gently.

From across the table, Rose was choking on her coffee.

“Jesus! Are you okay?!” Rey asked, grabbing some napkins and pushing them towards her startled friend.

Rose blinked at the pair as Ben took a seat next to Rey, his face etched with amusement, her wild eyes darting between the two as the puzzle pieces clicked together in her head.

“Pro…Professor Solo…and you…mated…” she stuttered. Rey nodded slowly, her face only a little apologetic but it was more for her friend almost choking to death on her latte than for her news. Her heart skipped a beat as he held her hand under the table.

“Wow…okay. Not an image I expected to have at this time in the morning,” Rose breathed, “Oh my God, is that why you asked for Rey’s address?!” Ben smirked.

“Very perceptive of you,” he said sarcastically, “On that note, have you considered getting some extra tutoring for my class?”

Ben flinched as Rey pinched him.

“I just…this is…”

“I know, I really know but it’s a good thing,” Rey said gently, “Just…it’s hard to explain,”

Rose smiled kindly at her friend, knowing that she was right. It probably was too hard to explain properly. As a Beta, Rose could read all she liked about the textbook definitions and symptoms that Omegas and Alphas went through but she would never experience them first hand.

But something comforted her about this new pair, noticing as she watched them that while Rey was looking directly at her, Ben was not. His eyes were locked on the Omega next to him, shining with so much intense devotion that it made Rose want to shiver.

Alphas didn’t seem to do things by half.

“Well, as long as you guys are happy…I think,” Rose conceded, “Just, do me a favour and _don’t_ tell me too many details? Normally I’d be all for it, but I have to concentrate in your lectures and I’m not sure I can do that if I’ve been told what you’re like in bed…Professor…wait, what do I call you now?”

Ben chuckled.

“Just call me whatever you’re comfortable with,” he said, “But maybe save the official titles for when we’re actually in class?”

“I can do that…I think,” Rose said, testing the theory in her head, “Pro…I mean, Ben…” his name felt strange on her tongue.

The door to the café opened, the bell tingling and Rey followed Rose’s eyeline to see Poe and Finn walking towards them. Immediately she felt Ben’s hand tighten around hers, the easy, carefree look on his face replaced with something stonier, his eyes hardening at Poe as he warily watched him.

He stood as they approached, chairs scraping when Rey leapt up, preparing to have to get in the middle of a potential scrap.

“Hi there,” Poe said tightly, and Ben nodded at him, both Alpha’s nostrils flaring as they sized each other up.

Poe inhaled deeply, a smirk falling on his face as he took in Ben’s scent. It was masculine and defensive but there, in the background, was Rey. Oh yeah, this Alpha had it _bad_ and while Poe’s personality wanted him to start pushing the man’s buttons, he also didn’t want to end up taking a trip to the ER.

“Umm, Rey…can you help?” Finn said awkwardly, “Yours is a lot taller…”

“No need,” Poe said, still locked in eye contact with Ben, “There’s not going to be a problem,” Ben huffed a sigh.

“I’m sorry, about before…I wasn’t really myself,” he said politely, “You get it,” Poe smiled clapping the man on the shoulder.

“Hey, I get it man,” Poe said, “Another Alpha turning up when your mate is in heat? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come near that place. I like my throat the way it is. If it makes you feel any better, Rey isn’t exactly my type, you get me?”

Ben’s eyes flicked to Finn and he smiled.

“I get you,”

“Great! So, can we end this little stand off? Cause I would really like a coffee and a scone before my morning class,” Finn said cheerfully, breaking the tension around the table.

“You got it babe,” Poe answered, “Ben, mind helping me out getting these?”

“Sure,” Ben nodded with a smile and Rey finally was able to sit again, feeling him press a kiss to her cheek before he followed Poe to the counter, her eyes following his every move.

“So _that’s_ your mate huh?” Finn asked, snapping his fingers in front of her to bring her attention back to the table.

“Yup,” she sighed happily, “That’s my mate,”

_MateMateMate_


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'm PDDD and I'm a bit of a fluff monster as well as an avid wee dirty (Excuse the Scottish vernacular).
> 
> Please enjoy this latest offering, you lovely, wonderful, filthy readers. I love and appreciate you all <3

[](https://imgur.com/6TVH1T1)

The first few weeks of returning to Harvard were surprisingly smooth, much to Rey’s surprise.

As their hormones settled, Rey and Ben found it easier to spend time apart, making his teaching and her studying a little easier. Of course, they still missed each other and the first day they had spent separated for more than 8 hours had Rey sobbing to Rose in one of the college bathrooms.

“I’m sorry! I don’t know why I’m like this!” She cried, wiping her wet face with the tissue Rose handed her, “I’ve never felt so…clingy before!”

Rose had smiled sympathetically, assuring her friend that it was just her hormones acting up and that everything was going to be fine. She had helped Rey wash her face and freshen up, promising not to tell Ben of her little breakdown. He would only worry.

After that, Rey had taken to carrying one of his scarves with her at all times, the cloth saturated with the scent from his neck glands. It wasn’t the same as being in his presence, but it helped.

Her favourite time of day was when she was in his class. The whole room smelled of him and she could listen to his voice. If anything, their bond helped her pay closer attention to the subject matter, his pheromones compelling her to take in every word he said, even if it wasn’t an Alpha command.

If anyone had noticed their change in scents, they hadn’t mentioned it. More than once, an Alpha in the class had given her a quizzical look and she hoped that they just assumed Ben’s scent was that strong that it was bleeding into everything around him.

Yeah, that was it. As long as they didn’t spy the bite mark on the junction of her neck.

Ben was in his office, looking over some coursework that had been submitted to him. It was only the middle of October and he was already swamped with work, the week he had spent with Rey putting him a little behind.

_Worth it._

There was a knock at his door and he called for whoever it was to come in, trying to hide his disappointment that it wasn’t his mate.

He could smell it.

“Solo, do you have those papers for me?”

Ben’s nose scrunched only slightly as Professor Armitage Hux walked into his office. The red headed Alpha smelled like pine and bourbon. It wouldn’t have been that offensive if the man didn’t insist on saturating himself in fake pheromone aftershave, the mix causing an unpleasant, thick sensation at the back of Ben’s throat.

“I do,” he answered, reaching down into his desk drawer, “All here, all marked with notes. Most of the students actually did rather well,”

Hux’s eyes narrowed in scrutiny at the other man, analysing his manner.

“There’s something different about you, Solo,” he said suspiciously, “You seem…amiable,”

Ben’s eyebrow rose at the backhanded compliment. He supposed that it was true. He had never liked Hux and it ran deeper than just Alpha posturing. The British man was arrogant and unpleasant to be around. They often found themselves disagreeing on work and theories often, Hux being a professor in biomedical cellular signalling, his work was often at odds with Ben’s chosen subject. It was an annoyance to them both that some of their students shared joint credits with their classes, having to have both professors mark some of their work and agree on it.

It didn’t help that Hux had also been gunning for Ben’s job since day one.

“I don’t know what you mean,” Ben drawled, turning his attention back to the papers in front of him, adjusting his glasses. Hux smirked.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d assume you finally…relieved some tension,” he quipped, “Seen Jessika lately?”

Ben scowled. Jessika Pava was a professor in DNA molecular techniques and a Beta that Ben had been seeing on and off for a few months. Nothing serious had ever come of it, Ben’s heart was never really in it. She was a nice girl who was pleasant to be around, but they simply weren’t compatible. At the time he could never really put his finger on the reason.

Now he knew.

“I haven’t seen Jessika since she took that job at Penn State back in July,” he said testily, “Not that it’s any of _your_ business,” Hux continued to smirk and Ben wanted to slap the smug smile from his face.

It was true. They had kept in contact, vaguely agreeing to meet up if she was ever back in town but he barely thought of her and she hadn’t once crossed his mind since Rey had come into his life.

_Don’t do it. Don’t you do it. He’s not worth it._

“Well… _something_ is different,” Hux continued, “Your scent has even changed…”

“Is there anything else I can help you with or have you just come here to annoy me about my biology?” Ben hissed, pulling his glasses off his face to level the man with a glare.

“There’s the Ben Solo I know,” he said, “I’m going. Don’t forget we have a faculty meeting soon. You’ve ignored the last two,”

Ben glowered after the man as he left his office, the door closing firmly behind him. He growled in exasperation. Even when Hux wasn’t trying he still managed to get under Ben’s skin and it had caused an uncomfortable tightness around his neck and shoulders.

Another knock sounded at his door and he grunted. He was never going to get any work done at this rate.

“Yes?” he snapped but as soon as the door opened he regretted his tone.

“Is this a bad time Professor?”

Ben smiled brightly. He had been so agitated by Hux he hadn’t even scented who was at the door but seeing Rey’s face and inhaling their combined scents instantly relaxed the tension in his body.

_MateMateMate_

“It’s never a bad time for you,” he said, “Close the door,”

The minute the door was closed, the blind already pulled down, Rey found herself pushed against it, her mate attacking her lips like a thirsty man finding water for the first time. She moaned against him, the weight of his body on hers making her heart sing.

“Ben, we need to move from the door,” she breathed, pulling away with some difficulty, “Someone will see us,”

He grunted, knowing she was right and he pulled her to the leather chesterfield sofa hidden against the wall, Rey landing in his lap with a squeak. His arms returned to her waist instantly, trailing a path of hot kisses along her neck, his teeth grazing her glands provoking a sharp gasp from her. She pulled back to look at him, her hands finding his glands and massaging them in the way that she knew would soothe him.

“Hey, what’s got you so riled up, huh?” she said calmly, stroking his cheek lovingly. He growled under his breath.

“Just…fucking Hux being an asshole,” he bit out, “Sticking his two cents in where it doesn’t belong,”

“Hux? Professor Hux?” Rey asked, “Urgh, he’s the worst. His classes are awful, his teaching is so…regimented. You know he once tried to fail one of my papers because it directly disagreed with one of his _unproven_ theories? It only passed because Holdo stepped in,”

“Not surprising,” Ben said wryly, “He’s never been one for free discussion. You know he even had the fucking nerve to comment on my scent?” Rey frowned in concern.

“Do you think he knows?” Ben shook his head.

“He knows something’s different, but he doesn’t know exactly,” He kissed her gently, “Don’t worry sweetheart, everything is fine,”

“You’re still tense though,”

Ben shrugged.

“I’ll get over it…” he said but Rey grinned wickedly at him, suddenly pulling herself from his lap to lock the door.

“Or I could help you…” she purred, walking back to him slowly, dropping to her knees in front of him as he sat back on the sofa.

“Really? And what exactly did you have in mind?” he replied, playing along with her game.

She smirked at him, her hand trailing down his chest towards his belt, pulling at the leather catch as his breath caught in his throat. His cock was already pulsing for her, straining against the fabric of his dress pants.

“As much as I’d love you to fuck me against that bookcase, we don’t have the time, but I can’t leave my Alpha wanting,” she said huskily.

The relief of her pulling him free of his pants was instantaneous, his solid member proudly in front of her and he watched her with hungry eyes as she wrapped her hand around him, holding his eyes boldly.

He groaned watching her spit on her hand to stroke him languorously, the sensation sending little shocks of pleasure up his hips and stomach and around his tailbone. She smiled, blowing a huff of air over his weeping head, testing his reactions and teasing him, his hips twitching forward of their own accord.

“Please…please stop teasing me Rey,” he groaned. She felt a flutter in her stomach at the reactions she was getting from him. Even on her knees for her Alpha, she was still the one in control.

_Topping from the bottom, Omega. You’re topping from the bottom._

She swiped her tongue out, licking the gleaming drop of cum that had formed from his slit already, his cock hot and solid in her hand and he bit his tongue hard to keep from moaning too loudly. Seeing him up close, she could appreciate his size and how perfectly he was put together for her. Her perfect Alpha.

His blood was boiling for her, watching her close her eyes and open her mouth to take him in, her tongue swirling around the head, savouring the taste of him. He couldn’t look away, his mouth hanging slack as his sucked in a ragged breath.

“God…” He moaned, and she pulled back, a whimper in his throat at loss of contact.

“God isn’t doing this to you,” she smirked, “Your Omega is,”

A feral growl emitted from his throat in frustration but blissfully she returned to the task at hand, her tongue zig zagging the underside of him, her cheeks hollowing with the effort. Her hand moved to the base of him, taking advantage of the extra moisture to work him while her mouth settled on the tip, sucking and licking with just the right amount of pressure.

He reached out with one hand to grab her hair, thankful she had worn it down, his fingers curling in the soft tendrils as she bobbed. His other hand was balled in a fist and locked firmly between his teeth to stifle the loud groans.

The double sensation of her hand and mouth combined with his moans of pleasure driving her forward was pushing him closer and closer, his knot beginning to swell. He almost broke the skin on his knuckles as she slowly pushed her mouth further down him, her tongue swiping over the sensitive swelling at his base.

Forcing his eyes to look down at the beautiful sight, her pink lips parted around him, her eyes pooling with moisture at the effort. It was the most erotic thing he had ever seen in his whole fucking life.

The tension was too much, his balls tightening, and he broke, thick ropes of his seed spilling down her waiting throat.

“Jesus… _fuck_!” he growled as she licked him clean, his throat raw and his fist throbbing and dotted with his own teeth marks.

She smiled up at him, glowing and proud of her efforts, tucking him back into his trousers since he was still too dazed to do anything except lay there and pant. Pulling himself together, he grabbed her, hauling her back onto his lap and kissing her. He could taste himself on her tongue.

_MateMateMate_

“Better?” Rey teased, pressing gentle kissed to his cheek and neck. He nodded lazily.

“Much. You’re too good to me,” he said, nuzzling at her affectionately. Rey giggled at the feeling of his stubble against her skin, revelling in his scent around her.

“Well if people don’t know, they’re definitely going to smell you on me now,” she jested, and Ben shrugged, looking her in the eyes, his face visibly far more relaxed.

“Fuck it,” he said, “Next time, I’m going to bend you over that desk,” he growled, and she inhaled sharply at the delicious thought. They hadn’t fucked in his office yet and the filthy idea of it sent Rey’s scent spiking.

“Hmm, shame we don’t have time today,” she sighed, “I have tutorial to get to, but we’re still on for tonight?” Ben grinned at her.

“Ah yes, our date,” He said happily, “We’re still on,”

“Where are you taking me then?” Rey asked, excitement lighting up her features prettily.

“That would be telling,” he replied, “But dress warm. We’re going to be outside if the weather holds. Luckily you already have a _scarf,”_

“I do,” she jested, bopping him on the forehead with her own, “So…no clues?”

“No clues,” he said, smoothing her ruffled hair, “But I think you’ll enjoy it,”

Rey’s phone suddenly buzzed in her pocked and she sighed, picking up the device and reading the message.

_Rose <I know you were heading to Profs office and I know you’ll probably lose track of time. Considering this your friendly reminder that we have a tutorial like…now…please remember to wipe away any bodily fluids before entering the class. It’s only polite ;)>_

Rey rolled her eyes, shoving her phone back into her jeans pocket.

“I have to go,” she sighed, “My tutorial is starting, and I can’t be late. Professor Erso is a stickler for timekeeping. Tonight then?”

“Tonight,” he confirmed, and she climbed from his lap.

Ben followed her to the door, kissing her soundly before she smoothed her hair once more.

“Love you,” she breathed, and he kissed her again, never seeming to get enough of her taste.

“Love you more,”

00000

“A date?”

“Yes, a date…”

“But…you’ve already told him that you love him…and he loves you AND you’re already _mated_?”

“That’s the jist, yes,”

“But this is your _first_ date?” Rose said, mulling over the details in her head, “Don’t you think it’s all a little backwards?”

Rey shook her head laughing, pulling clothes out of her wardrobe, piles of fabric lying around her floor as she tried to choose what to wear.

“It’s completely backwards,” Rey said, “But this is important to me. I want to know him…really _know_ him and what better way to do that than a date,”

Rose sat on the edge of her bed, watching her friend hold things up against her body before discarding them to the floor, deciding that the garment quite right.

“Honestly, the way you two are…I’m amazed you haven’t just upped and left for a shotgun wedding,” Rose said, “I mean, he looks at you like you put the stars in the sky…and you look at him exactly the same way. Man, no wonder so many epic romances are written about Alphas and Omegas. It’s intense!”

Rey nodded in agreement. Intense was the right word for it but nothing had ever felt so right to her.

“So where is he taking you?”

Rey shrugged.

“I don’t know, he wouldn’t tell me. He just told me to dress warm which means I’m assuming we’re going to be outside,” she said, picking up a sweater, “Too plain?” Rose rolled her eyes.

“Rey, you could wear a trash bag and I’m certain he’ll think you’re a work of art,” Rose replied, “Wear something that’s comfortable and that makes you feel good. When is he picking you up?”

“In an hour or so…”

“Right…why aren’t you living together again?” Rey dropped the sweater.

“Rose…”

“I’m just saying, you’re mated!” Rose exclaimed, “It’s a little bit rich now to say that it’s ‘too soon’ when you’ve just shared each other’s biochemistry!”

“Look, I have 8 months left on this lease…aside from the fact I don’t want to pay a large bill to get out of it, I think it’s healthy to remind myself that while I love him, and I want to be with him more than anything in the whole world, it’s good to have something that’s still mine. He understands that…”

“Of course, he does…which is why he’s also fucked you on every surface in here just to make sure his scent is over everything,” she teased, and Rey at least had the good grace to blush.

She wasn’t exactly wrong on that front.

“Well you’re the one who chose to sit on the bed…that’s basically ground zero…”

Rose made a face.

“Gross…I should sit on the floor,”

“It’s not much better,”

“Oh, come on!” Rose whined, “I have to be taught by this man! If I fail this class because I can’t get _that_ image out of my head, I’m blaming you!”

“Rose! Help me, I don’t know what to wear…I don’t know why I’m getting so worked up about this!” Rey cried in frustration.

Rose smiled patiently, pushing herself from the bed and wandering over to the pile of clothes. She analysed the situation for a moment before bending down and picking up some items.

Rey watched her carefully before accepting the clothes from her friend’s hands. A pair of dark blue skinny jeans, a plain white fitted tee and a cream coloured V-neck cable-knit sweater.

“Wear this with your brown leather boots and your wool coat,” Rose said confidently, “It’ll match his scarf,”

“Rose…you are my lifesaver,”

“I know,”

00000

She always found him handsome but that evening, Rey found herself mesmerised by his looks. He had picked her up wearing black boots, a pair of dark jeans and a dark green checked shirt all set off by a long, black wool coat that ended by his knees, his collar turned up. His hair hung beautifully dishevelled around his face and he had grinned wolfishly when he laid eyes on her.

_Fuck the date._

Fighting the urge to grab him by the collar and pull him into her apartment, Rey had simply kissed him fiercely then taken his hand, allowing him to lead her to wherever they were going.

“The woods?”

“The woods,”

She glanced at him sceptically. It was dark already and the woods offered no real light, the canopy of trees hiding the moon that hung in the clear night sky. He stood in front of her, holding out his hand.

“Do you trust me?”

It was such a simple question. Truth was, Rey had never really trusted anyone in her life, save for her few friends that she had grown close to, but there he was, standing in front of her with an open palm asking her to take his hand and lead her into the dark unknown.

If it wasn’t a metaphor for their relationship, she didn’t know what was.

He smiled widely, excited as a child as she placed her small hand in his, his fingers gently locking with hers.

He seemed to know exactly where he was going, warning her when to pick up her feet and helping her across any unstable terrain. Another metaphor, she thought wryly.

Eventually, they reached a clearing, Rey openly gasping at the sight in front of her. In the middle of the open ground was a blanket surrounded by candles offering just enough light to bathe the small area in a warm glow, accented by small glass lanterns that hung from the trees delicately. Looking up she could see that there was no canopy of leaves to hide the moon and the stars from them.

“Oh my God,” She breathed, “Ben, did you do all this?”

“I wasn’t ready to share you with the world yet,” he said sincerely, “So I made our own. Do you like it?” his voice quivered with nerves, unsure if he had done the right thing. Was this what she had meant when she asked for a date?

She grabbed him by the collar of his coat, kissing him passionately.

“It’s perfect,” she gushed, “It’s so fucking perfect,”

His confidence restored, he took her hand, guiding her to the soft blanket in the middle. He had thought of everything. There was a basket sitting with finger foods, a bucket with a bottle of wine and two glasses and a small box wrapped in a ribbon.

“I have something for you,” he said, the nerves returning to his voice as he reached for the box. She took it from him, staring at it intently. It was too big to be a ring, she thought.

Carefully she pulled the ribbon, opening the latch. Inside was an oval shaped locket made of rose gold hanging on a delicate matching chain, a diamond embedded on the front. Her hands trembled as she opened the delicate piece of jewellery.

Inscribed on one side of the inner shell were the words ‘You and me’ and on the other side was a biological symbol that Rey didn’t recognise. The shape and angles looked familiar, but it was something she had never seen before.

“It’s us,” Ben explained watching her fingers trace the shape, “I have a friend who works in a lab at Brown. Sent him a blood sample and he found our combined biochemistry. It’s the molecular shape for…us,”

Her vision blurred as she stared between her mate and the locket, completely awestruck at the thought he had put into her gift. It was the most personal thing she had ever received, the flood of love and devotion to this man threatening to overwhelm her senses.

“Rey?” he inquired softly, anxious that she hadn’t responded, “Is…is that…is it too much?”

“This is…the most thoughtful thing _anyone_ has ever given me,” she choked, “It’s amazing…you’re amazing,” Ben blushed, reaching forward to kiss her.

“I’m just yours,” he said softly, nuzzling her nose with his, “This is a little subtler than a scarf,”

Ben took the box from her, removing the necklace and helping her fasten it around her neck, gently moving her hair for her. Rey jumped suddenly.

“Oh! I actually have something for you!” She said, reaching into her coat pocket and pulling out a small linen bag, “It’s not as refined as your gift…but I remember you saying that you didn’t have anything of mine and…well, here…”

He smiled curiously taking the bag from her, opening the drawstring and pulling out the contents. Inside was a dark brown leather cuff that could be secured by two metal clasps. It was a simple design with crisscrossing leather straps but there was something curious about it.

Attached to the front was what looked like a watch but there was no face or hands, just the metal and glass, but sandwiched between the structure was a lock of hair.

Rey’s hair.

He could smell her scent immediately, his own spiking and his heart thudding in his chest. She was giving him a piece of herself. Literally.

“Do you like it? I have a friend that makes these things for her Etsy store and she helped me out. If it’s not your thing I can…”

He cut her off with a kiss, pushing her carefully to the ground laying her down with his body over hers. She grinned up at him, the candlelight glowing in their eyes.

“So…you like it then?”

“It’s perfect,”

She kissed him again, delighting in his touch, their combined scents swirling together with the forest around them.

_MateMateMate_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, Thank you so much for all your wonderful comments and praise. I really do appreciate every single one of you who take the time to tell me what you think!
> 
> I'm glad you're all into the Fluff! It's not always going to be plain sailing for our dorks but I hope you enjoy where I'm going to take this story! I have it ALL mapped out now, and I'm crazy excited to write it for you!
> 
> Enjoy you filth/fluff merchants!   
> x

[](https://imgur.com/OrPWFNP)

“Oh fuck, Ben!”

Rey gasped as he thrust into her deeply and quickly, driving her body against the blanket on the forest floor, his hair hanging around his face as his head tipped forward, gritting his teeth with the effort of his movements.

“God you feel amazing,” he groaned, “I love you so much,”

She clutched at the collar of his coat as he pumped into her. They were still mainly clothed; their star gazing having turned heated to the point that they had scrambled to pull down their jeans and fuck like the animals their ancestors were, Rey making a mental note that next time a skirt would be much easier considering how little they could keep their hands to themselves.

She clenched around him, Ben feeling every ridge of her slick walls pulsing, moaning loudly as she quivered in the wake of her orgasm, whispering over and over again how much she loved him in between the kissed she rained over his neck. His pace became erratic, his breathing hitched, and she knew he was close.

“Are you gonna cum for me Alpha?” she whispered seductively in his ear, her teeth nipping at his ear lobe.

Her voice was enough to send him into spasm, his knot stretching her as he shouted out his own release, his head falling to the crook of her neck, both breathing heavily. Carefully, so he didn’t hurt her, he balanced his weight on his forearms, shooting her an amused glance once they had regained their senses.

“I…did not think this through,” he said, nodding towards his knot with a wry smile. Rey giggled as she kissed him, her face glowing and content.

“Well, it’ll certainly be an interesting way to get caught,” she quipped, “But…seriously, what if someone comes this way?”

Carefully, Ben rolled them onto their side, pushing Rey’s jeans further out of the way to make space for her leg to balance over his hips and they lay facing each other.

“Nobody ever comes out this far,” he said casually, “Especially this late. It’s too dark,”

“Hmm, I’ll remember that next time I need to hide a body,” Rey joked, snuggling herself closer to his warm chest.

“So, is this what you had in mind when you said you wanted a date?”

“Well, we just had a quickie under the stars, surrounded by candlelight…I’m pretty sure it doesn’t get more romantic than that,” she said, “You did good Solo,”

He smiled proudly at her, pleased that she was so happy with all the effort he had gone to. He had wanted to make their first official date something special, something that she would always remember. This was Rey, his mate for life. She deserved more than just dinner and a movie, in his eyes.

“I meant to ask,” he said tentatively, “I know it’s a little bit away, but I was wondering…what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

Rey shrugged. Thanksgiving, or any major holiday for that matter, had never really been a big deal to her. When she was younger, she didn’t exactly have a lot to be thankful for. Sure, as she got older she spent Thanksgiving with some of her friends and their families, but it was always awkward. She knew they meant well, but she felt out of place, never really fitting in to the dynamic. Eventually it was easier to just do nothing.

“Umm, nothing I guess,” she answered, “Same thing I do every year. Takeout, watch the parade on TV then fall asleep on the sofa,”

Ben frowned.

“Every year?” He asked “Don’t you normally have somewhere you go? Like, a tradition?”

Rey shook her head, an amused but sad smile passing over her features and then it struck her. He really didn’t know and, how could he? She had never told him.

“Ben, I grew up in the foster system,” She explained, “I don’t know my parents, I was left on the doorstep of some police station. I got bounced around from home to home until I was old enough to file for emancipation from my so-called care giver. I don’t have a family…not by blood anyway. I got where I am by working hard for my scholarship,”

Ben gazed at her, unsure where to place his tumultuous feelings. He suddenly felt so angry at the idea of her parents abandoning her without a second thought. His beautiful, intelligent and witty girl who deserved all the love in the world and instead, she was left behind.

“Hey, hey…come on, don’t look like that. It’s fine. I’m…over it,” she said trying to dismiss her confession. It wasn’t strictly true. Some days she didn’t think about it, or she looked back thinking of how far she had come and was proud of her efforts. Other days however she would give into the feelings of abandonment, letting it swallow her, wallowing in her loneliness. That was, until she met Ben.

 It wasn’t exactly something she had planned on talking about mid-knot.

“You _do_ have a family,” he said firmly, “I’m your family now. Rey, you are always going to come first to me. I choose you, without a doubt, I’ll choose you over and over every single time. You’re my world now, you’re my whole world,”

She tried to blink back the tears that pooled in her eyes at his passionate declaration. She had never been chosen before, not really. As a child she had watched as other kids around her were adopted. When she grew she watched other girls get picked for things over her because of her Omega status and how ‘weird’ it was. Nobody had ever truly put her first before.

“I always said I was good at waiting but I never knew what I was waiting for,” she sniffed, “I’m pretty sure I was waiting for you,”

He kissed her soundly, wiping her tears away with his thumbs gently.

“Got you crying on our first date,” he joked, lightening the mood, “Maybe I’m not as smooth as I thought I was!”

Rey laughed emphatically at his words, stroking his face and his hair affectionately. How had she gotten so lucky to be mated with his man? Lying together under the stars as he gazed down at her like she was the most precious being alive.

His knot relaxed, Ben carefully pulled out of her, helping her pull her jeans back on before righting his own trouser situation. They lay back on the blanket, her head resting on his chest as they looked up at the stars.

“Anyway, my Mother tends to do a big Thanksgiving and she’s always bugging me to go. I normally hit her with some excuse about having to work but I thought…maybe this year I would go, and you could…I dunno…come with me?” He asked awkwardly, feeling like a teenager asking a girl to their first dance.

“Ben Solo, are you asking me to meet your parents?” Rey teased, and he blushed, the tips of his ears turning pink.

“Well, you know, we _are_ bonded for life…” he drawled.

“I’d love to,” she replied sincerely, “I mean it. I’d love to go to your parents for Thanksgiving. What do they do anyway?” Ben shrugged.

“Well, my Dad was a professor of archaeology at Yale but he’s retired now. My mother was the head of Alpha Omega dynamic studies at Princeton and Columbia for a while before she retired. She still does guest lectures occasionally,”

“Wait? Your Mother was the head of AO dynamics at Princeton? You…your Mom isn’t Leia Organa, is she?”

“Yeah…” Ben nodded, his face passive as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Rey sat up sharply, staring down at him as he still lay on his back smiling up at her, “What?”

“Holy. Shit,” Rey cried, “Your Mother is an absolute legend! I’ve read almost all of her papers!”

“I should hope so, most of them _are_ assigned reading for your degree…”

“I mean it, she has done so much in the way of research into Omegas and why we are the way we are, not to mention all the work she’s done for Omega rights! Holy shit…I’m going to have dinner… _Thanksgiving_ dinner with Leia Organa…”

Ben sighed in exasperation lightly, realising he had clearly just opened a can of worms. He sat up onto his forearms.

“I’m already beginning to regret this,” he said wryly, “Listen my Mom is just…my Mom okay? She’s got flaws like anyone else. This is actually the reason I took my Dad’s name,”

“What do you mean?” Rey asked curiously.

“Well look how you’re reacting now. If I’d have taken my Mom’s name I could have easily been handed my career, but I didn’t want that. I wanted to earn my degrees, earn my status and my job…too many people are quick to assume when they find out who my Mother is,”

“That’s…I suppose that makes sense,” she conceded.

“My Mom and I…we weren’t close for a long time. Her and my Dad would fight like cat and dog and they were both so wrapped up in their work I actually spent more time with my Uncle Luke. I became this angry kid who grew up into an angry teenager…who became an emotionally closed off adult. We didn’t actually speak for a long time…but, I’m trying to rectify that now,”

Rey smiled at him proudly, a shiver running through her body as a particularly cold breeze whipped its way through the clearing. He wrapped his arms around her body, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“It’s getting late, and more importantly, it’s getting cold,” he said, “Come on, let’s head back. I’d like to see what you look like wearing _only_ that necklace,”

00000

“Did you hear? That girl Rey Jackson hooked up with Professor Solo!”

“Oh. My. God. Really?!”

“Not just hooked up. _Mated_!”

“How do you know that?”

“That Alpha, Todd, in our class? He said he could totally smell it on both of them and the nose _never_ lies! Plus, both of them not in class for a whole week at the same time? Oh yeah, they were definitely heat fucking!”

“Man, I wish I had that excuse. Must be nice to be able to take time off whenever you need it to just have sex for a week!”

“Dirty little Omegas, using hormones as an excuse to be fucking little sluts…”

Rey stood quietly, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the pen in her hands. The girls gossiping stood on the other side of the bookshelf in the Harvard library, blissfully unaware that the subject of their talk was standing directly behind them, clearly able to hear every word they were saying.

Standing next to her was Rose, growling under her breath.

“I’m going to say something!” She hissed, moving to walk around to the other side of the shelves but Rey grabbed her arm, pulling her back.

“No! Rose, it’s…fine. Just leave it, please?”

“How can you let them talk about you and Pro-So like that?” Rose said, “They don’t know anything!”

“Okay…we’re going to have to talk about the fact you just called him ‘pro-so’,” Rey said, “But honestly, it’s just not worth it! Please, can you just…leave it?” she pleaded, her hand playing with the locket he had given her only a few nights prior.

The girls on the other side of the shelves began to talk again.

“I mean, who can blame her? If I had a chance to fuck Professor Solo, I totally would too. But who knows what the fuck he sees in her…I guess Omegas smell that fuckable that any Alpha would want them,”

“Okay that does it!” Rose snapped.

She was out of Rey’s reach before the taller woman could grab her, rounding the corner and walking up to the other students.

It was exactly what Rey had been afraid of. One of the Alphas in her class was seemingly not as stupid as he looked, putting two and two together and working out that Rey and Ben were mated. Of course, instead of keeping this information quiet, the stupid Alpha had to go and run his big Alpha mouth. If the student body knew, it was only a matter of time before it leaked to someone higher on the food chain.

“You two need to learn to keep your fucking mouth shut!” Rose snapped, “You don’t know a damn thing about what you’re saying and…and…as _biologists_ you should be ashamed of yourselves!”

The girls both stared at Rose, aghast that the tiny Vietnamese girl had anything to say to them. Rolling their eyes in disgust, they both turned from her, deciding it was best to move on.

“Yeah that’s right!” Rose called after them, “Walk away so you don’t need to deal with me!”

“Rose will you _shut up_!” Rey hissed at her, pulling her back, “The whole library is staring at us!”

“Well, I’m sorry but I just won’t have them talking about you like that…or Pro-So!”

“Please stop calling him that…”

“They’re just jealous,” Rose continued, ignoring Rey’s previous comment about her mate’s nickname, “Because most Betas will never get what it’s like between and Alpha and an Omega. They just think you guys are fucking and it’s so not the case!”

“Even if that’s true. You know it’s going to be all around campus by the end of the day…if it isn’t already,” Rey sighed, “I knew this would happen. The second another Alpha smelled it…”

“You said it yourself, there are rules in place to protect both of you. It was a natural thing, neither of you could help it. Come on, forget those bitches…why don’t we go to the bar after our last class? Unwind, get a few drinks in before you head to Ben’s place?”

Rey smiled, her spirits lifting at the thought of spending some time with her friends before she spent the evening with her Alpha. Rose was right, screw what those girls thought. The only thing that mattered was that Rey and Ben knew the truth of what they shared.

Her fingers traced her mating mark lightly.

“That sounds perfect,” Rey agreed, “Shit, I just remembered, what time is it?”

“Umm…ten past 12?” Rey paled.

“Damn! I’m late for my Omega meeting with Holdo, I gotta run! I’ll text you later okay?”

“Okay! Say hi to Pro-So for me!” Rose called after her, grinning as she did.

“Stop that!”

00000

Rey was breathing heavily by the time she reached the building she needed, having sprinted across campus and she arrived at the woman’s office door with a minute to spare.

Smoothing her clothes and hair, she knocked on the door, waiting until she heard the woman call for her to enter.

“Rey! Come in, come in!” Professor Holdo greeted with a warm smile, offering the seat in front of her desk, “Can I get you anything? Tea? Water?” Rey shook her head politely.

“No, thank you Professor,” She answered, “Really, I’m fine,”

While she liked Professor Holdo as a person and teacher, the woman’s office left a lot to be desired. Ben, like many of the other professors, had opted for a traditional and classic look that was in keeping with Harvard’s aesthetic. All dark wood and leather furniture. Traditional and proud.

Amilyn Holdo had the same kind of office only her walls were plastered with posters and slogans designed to motivate and inspire Omegas while having completely the opposite effect. It reminded Rey of being back in the social workers office as a child.

“So, the purpose of today’s meeting is just a little check in,” Professor Holdo explained, “We take the wellbeing of our students very seriously, especially our Omega students, and I see that you were recently off on heat leave?”

If it had been any other Professor, save for Ben, Rey might have felt embarrassed but Holdo was an Omega as well. There was no point in feeling shame for something that was natural to her body when the other woman would know exactly what she had gone through.

“Yeah, that’s correct,”

“And how are you feeling? I know it’s been a few weeks,” Holdo asked. Rey smiled to herself

_Well, the extremely handsome Alpha Professor down the hall came over, fucked me until I saw stars, mated with me and now I’m completely head over heels in love with him. I’m stupendous, how about you?_

“Oh, fine,” she answered, “Just…fine,” Holdo smiled patiently.

“Rey, I know these things can be awkward to talk about but remember, I’m just like you…and I remember being where you are…”

_Not bloody likely_

“…that’s why I’m here for you to talk to. Your friend mentioned that you were going through your heat alone?” Rey shook her head.

“Oh, no…I actually had some help with that in the end,” she said, her hand absently drifting to play with the locket around her neck, “I was fine. I was actually better than I’ve ever been during a heat,”

“You know, I thought your scent smelled a little different…but…familiar,” Holdo said thoughtfully, “Is it a boy in your class?”

“Um…yes, you could say that…” Rey muttered awkwardly, trailing off when she noticed Holdo’s eyes fall on her mating mark.

“Rey…did you _mate_ with this Alpha?” She asked. Rey nodded slowly.

“You know how important that is don’t you?” Holdo asked, “It’s not like getting married. You can’t just get divorced…”

“I know that!” Rey said defensively, “But…it’s hard to explain…even to you. I just…I know that this Alpha is the one. We’re made for each other,” Holdo’s eyebrows raised in surprise.

“I understand, I really do,” She said, “I remember feeling that way when I met my mate and I still feel that strongly about him now. As long as you know what you’re getting yourself into Rey. You’re still so young,”

Rey nodded enthusiastically and Holdo smiled warmly at her student, trying to be subtle about how deeply she was inhaling through her nose. There was something familiar about the change in her student’s scent, something that she couldn’t quite place. It was a deep and rich scent, more mature than the Alpha students around campus that Amilyn had scented before. Maybe Rey had found an older man away from the University and she was trying to hide it?

“Professor Holdo? May I be excused? I’m going to be late for Professor Erso’s class…” Holdo snapped herself out of her thoughts, shaking her head.

“Sorry, of course Rey! If there’s anything else you need then please don’t hesitate to contact me,” She replied carefully, her face still etched with thought.

“I will, thank you Professor!”

Rey left the room, closing the door behind her, a thoughtful frown forming on the older woman’s face once more. She had definitely smelled whoever it was before, she just wished she knew how to place them.

00000

“Ben, have you got a second?”

Ben looked up from his laptop to see Amilyn Holdo standing in his doorway, a folder in her hands. He smiled politely at her.

“Sure, what can I do for you?”

“I know it’s a little premature but I’m just setting up for the mid-terms and I wanted to get your opinion on some of the questions,” She said walking up to his desk and handing him the folder to look at, “Do you think these are too challenging?”

Ben smirked at her, his eyes scanning through the papers.

“It’s Harvard, Amilyn, if the papers aren’t challenging then we’re not doing our jobs correctly,” he said, his tone dry, “I think these are good, well thought out mid-terms. Congratulations, you’re more on top of things that I am!”

Professor Holdo smiled at her colleague. She had always liked Ben, having worked with his Mother for years. She was impressed that despite how many short cuts he could have taken, he had worked to get where he was on his own merit. He wasn’t always the warmest lecturer the university science department employed, but he was effective and more importantly, the best in his field. She respected that.

“What an unusual bracelet,” she said, suddenly spying the leather cuff on his left wrist, “What is that, a watch?” Ben smiled tightly.

“No, it’s…well it’s just something a friend made me,” He said, the lie tasting strange in his mouth, his instincts telling him to shout from the rooftops.

“Well it suits you,” she said, “I’ll take those back and leave you to your work. You must be as busy as I am what with Thanksgiv…”

She had been in the process of leaning over his desk to take her folder back when something made her stop abruptly, her head still bent towards him. The smile on her face was replaced with an inquisitive glance, like someone trying to figure out a puzzle.

His scent. Something was different. Something familiar.

“Amilyn? Are you alright?” Ben asked carefully, eyebrow raised.

“Yes,” she said quickly, “Sorry…something just popped into my head there, something I had to remember to do…I’ll, umm, I’ll see you later Ben,”

Ben watched, perplexed at his colleagues suddenly change in demeanour, his dark eyes following her out of his office until the door closed. His phone buzzing on his desk pulled his attention away from the odd display and he soon forgot the foreboding feeling that it had brought on.

_Rey <Remind me again why I need Biomedical Investigations as part of my degree?>_

Ben smirked at words on his screen.

_Ben <I sincerely hope you’re not texting while in class Miss Jackson>_

_Rey <Oh no Professor Solo. As if I would do a thing like that…>_

_Ben <Of course not. You’re a model student…at least you are in _my _class >_

_Rey <That’s because you’re very compelling to listen to…and to look at>_

_Ben <Miss Jackson, you’ll make me blush…>_

_Rey <I’d rather make you do something else instead. We can call it a ‘biomedical investigation’>_

_Ben <Oh I see, so it’s for science? ;)>_

_Rey <Naturally ;) We can experiment tonight…lab coats optional>_

Ben could only grin to himself, his leather-bound wrist drifting towards his face, her scent and the words on his phone screen making him wish his working day was over.

00000

Professor Erso’s class had been a long and torturous affair, Rey almost having been caught with her phone more than once. She couldn’t help it that the subject matter wasn’t nearly as appealing as winding up her mate via messenger.

Finally, they had been dismissed and Rey grabbed her things, walking along the hallway with Rose.

“Man, that term paper is going to be the death of me,” Rose whined, “I’ve changed my mind about my project at least three times. I’ve got a feeling I’m going to need a beer to help me settle on what I’m doing,”

“Beer we can do,” Rey said as they walked, “I’ve told Ben I’ll be at his place for about seven, so he can finish some work, so for the next three hours, I’m all yours!” Rose grinned happily.

“Great! That’s a lot of beer drinking time!”

As they walked together, talking about their classes and the merits of drinking while studying, the door to the office they had walked past opened.

“Rey, can I speak to you for a moment?”

The girls stopped walking in time to see Professor Holdo leave her room, walking towards them. Normally the woman was all smiles, but her face looked far more serious than Rey had ever seen, and it made her stomach drop. Something was wrong. Rey looked between Rose and Holdo.

“Oh…Um, sure thing,” She turned to Rose, “I’ll catch up with you at the bar?” Rose nodded, saying her goodbye and Rey turned back the way they came.

“What’s this about Professor?” She asked tentatively, walking alongside the taller woman.

“We’ll talk about it in my office, Rey,” She said. There was no anger in her voice, but something was tense and reserved. Disappointment?

Quickly Rey realised that she wasn’t talking to’ friendly Omega’ Professor Holdo but ‘professional Omega liaison’ Amilyn Holdo.

She entered the office to find Ben was already sitting there, his face worried and apologetic.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a transitional chapter I feel. Moving forward with possibly a little more plot to the fluffy filth *shock horror!*


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to me never being able to wear a lab coat seriously again and finishing my finals this Thursday coming.
> 
> Roll on summer break! 
> 
> As always, thank you for all your wonderful comments. I can't believe just how much love this story is getting! I'm sorry I don't have time to respond to every one individually but I love the lot of you <3
> 
> Have some smut, filth merchants! xx

[](https://imgur.com/7xFvJnE)

_Shit Shit Shit_

“Take a seat Rey,” Holdo said, gesturing to the chair next to Ben, “I trust you’ll already know what this is about,”

Rey’s eyes flicked between Ben and Holdo, unsure how she should proceed. The blissful little world they had constructed for themselves was about to be shattered, she just knew it and the gravity of their situation begun to settle in her stomach, bile rising in the back of her throat.

“It’s okay Rey,” Ben said softly, nodding towards the chair. He still looked tense but there was something behind his eyes that was telling her things would be alright, his presence calming her spiking emotions.

She dropped her bag next to her, sitting down in the empty seat and immediately Ben’s hand found hers. If Holdo noticed at all, and Rey was sure she did, she chose not to comment.

“I’ve already spoken with Professor Solo…Ben…and he’s explained the situation,” Holdo began, “and I have to admit, while I understand the pull of pheromones, this is fairly uncharted territory,”

“So…what’s going to happen?” Rey asked uncertainly, Ben giving her hand a squeeze. Holdo sighed.

“If it was just a case of you two fooling around then Ben would be fired, and you would lose your credits for any classes or work that he’s been in charge of grading...maybe even be expelled but there _is_ more to it than that,” she conceded.

“We didn’t do this on purpose,” Rey said, “It just…it kind of happened. We couldn’t help ourselves, the pull was just too strong,”

Holdo nodded in understanding.

“I know that, believe me I do,” She said with a small smile, “You’re mated, so clearly it wasn’t just screwing around on heat,”

Ben cleared his throat, awkwardly shifting in his seat. Holdo’s smaller office felt no bigger than a cage to him and he was anxious about how the remainder of the meeting was going to play out. It didn’t matter to him if he lost his job, he could always get another one with his credentials but for Rey, he knew being kicked out of school would be devastating.  

Holdo had sent him an email asking him to come to her office later in the afternoon. When he had arrived, she had been sitting with a disappointed and exacerbated look on her face. Before his ass had even hit the seat, she had begun to question him, demanding to know what he had been thinking and how could he be so irresponsible. Assuming that their relationship was nothing more than a horny Alpha messing around with the first Omega student he found attractive.

It wasn’t until he had shouted at her to calm down, so he could explain things properly that the other Professor had really begun to see his side of things. He knew the only way they were going to get out of this relatively unscathed was to be honest. She was a biologist and an Omega herself, surely, she should have some level of understanding about the kind of connection he and Rey shared.

“Before I pulled you both in here, I did have a word with our legal department and as I suspected, due to the circumstances and because you can prove it, there isn’t a lot the University can do. Ben, you should thank your stars that you’re not going to lose your job,”

Both Ben and Rey breathed a sigh of relief they weren’t aware they had been holding, Rey giving Ben’s hand a squeeze, shooting him a smile.

“But for obvious reasons, Rey won’t be able to continue in your class,”

Rey’s face fell, dismayed. She loved Ben’s class and not only because he was the one teaching it.

“But…don’t I need that class to make up my credits? I thought Omega Epidemiology was mandatory to graduate?” she said, hoping that the excuse would be enough to keep her in the class.

“Normally yes, but given the circumstances, the University is willing to let you take a different class and still graduate with the same degree which is a _very_ generous offer!” Holdo stressed, “You’ll be moving to Bio Cellular Signalling with Professor Hux,”

“Hux?” Ben barked suddenly, frowning deeply, “No. No way!”

Holdo raised an eyebrow in question, Rey flinching at the sudden change in his temperament and the unexpected level of his agitated voice.

_Calm down Alpha. It’s okay. We’re going to be okay._

“Professor Hux is a perfectly capable teacher Ben…”

“And he’s been trying to get my job since I first set foot in the department!” Ben snapped, “Do you really think he’s not going to try and use this against me? You _know_ he won’t treat Rey fairly in that class!”

“He won’t be told the details. Professor Hux will only be told that he’s to receive a transfer student from a different class, that’s all,”

Ben scoffed bitterly, rolling his eyes.

“And you really think he won’t be able to tell? He’s an Alpha. Hell, half the Alpha students have been able to tell _something_ and they’re too pent up with their own hormones to be able to tell an ass from an elbow! Hux will know!”

Rey turned from watching Ben back to Holdo, her face calmer and a little more collected than his, her thumb stroking the back of his hand trying to calm him down.

“Professor isn’t there any other class I could take?” She asked but Holdo shook her head.

“I’m sorry Rey but _given the circumstances_ the University is being very lenient. Ben is getting to keep his job and you will still be allowed to graduate. The only other option is that you both leave Harvard,”

Rey sighed deeply. She had worked her whole life to get where she was, struggling through public schools, studying practically every night to maintain her GPA and get the grades for a full scholarship and she wasn’t about to waste it all. She was in love, but she wasn’t stupid. Holdo was right, this was the best-case scenario they could have expected.

“Alright, you’re right…I’ll switch classes,” Rey said and Holdo smiled, satisfied.

“Good,” she said, “There are a couple of other things I have to inform you about, a few rules our legal department would like you to adhere to and there’s a legal document for you both to sign if you agree,”

“Like what?” Ben growled testily but he soon looked ashamed of his automatic reaction when Holdo looked at him sharply.

“Nothing that should be beyond the capabilities of your restraint,” Holdo replied sardonically, “Things like agreeing to not discuss details of other student’s academic performances, not using his influence in the department to benefit grades, keeping your relationship under wraps while on campus grounds. That sort of thing,”

Rey’s mind suddenly drifted to Ben’s promise to bend her over his desk, a sharp twinge of desire flooding straight to her core. She bit her lip as her eyes scanned the paper, reading over the various rules they would have to agree to follow. As well as all the academic rules which made sense, the rule about no public displays of affection on campus made Rey want to smile. The idea of them sneaking around giving her some wicked ideas.

Ben peered at her curiously but turned his own attention back to the document.

“And what if I don’t sign it?” he asked. He knew it was the best they were going to get but he was curious of the consequences. Holdo smirked at him.

“Then, with all due respect, you’d be an idiot,” she replied plainly, “I’ve gone to bat for you guys over this and I’ll be honest, it’s my neck on the line too. I’m here to do my job, but I can see you two have a very specific compatibility going on. Personally…I think it would be cruel to separate you so I’m not here to do that. Just…please, play the game…and everything will work out fine. It’s not for long, Rey, all being well you’ll be graduating in the spring. Then you’re both free to do as you please,”

Ben reached out for a pen, smiling gratefully at the woman.

“Okay…you’re right,” he said, signing his name, “Thanks Amilyn, we do really appreciate it,” She smiled kindly.

“I was a newly mated Omega myself once,” she said lightly, “I know how…intense it can all be. If you two have any problems or issues specifically then you can come and speak to me about it. It’ll be all confidential,”

Rey sighed her name as well, the pair handing back the documents to Holdo and taking a copy for their own records. By the time they left the office, the building was practically empty, other students and lecturers completed for the day.

“I just need to run into my office to grab my stuff,” Ben said as they walked down the empty hall, “Won’t take long,”

They entered his office, the warmth of his scent wrapping around Rey like a comfort blanket as she closed the door behind her.

“Well that actually went better than I expected,” She said, her good cheer restored, “It’s a shame I won’t be able to stay in your class though. I’m not a fan of Hux’s teaching style,”

“I’m not fan of Hux full stop,” Ben muttered, wandering over to his desk and closing his laptop, “And I mean it when I say, I want you to be careful of him. He’s kind of a snake,”

“He doesn’t worry me,” she said boldly, wandering over to his desk.

She eyed the dark wood thoughtfully, running her hand along the edge of the desk, feeling the coolness of the polished wood against the pads of her fingers. Ben stopped what he was doing, eyeing her interestedly.

“Rey…what are you thinking?” he asked, stopping and putting down his bag. She tilted her head up to look at him through her dark lashes, the green of her hazel eyes catching in the light as she grinned playfully.

“Oh, I was just thinking of all those rules we agreed to follow…” She said, “I do remember you telling me that you were going to bend me over this desk,”

Ben’s nostrils flared, inhaling sharply as the words left her mouth, his eyes darkening with desire. She was spiking with arousal, he could smell it on her. They couldn’t, surely not now that Holdo had just held their University careers to ransom. If they were caught fucking in his office, it was game over.

“Rey…” Ben warned, his voice low, “You know that we shouldn’t…”

She approached him, still holding his eyes, her hand firmly on his chest as the other ran a trail down his torso to palm him above his dress pants. An animalistic growl resonated in his throat, his eyes fluttering closed at the sensation.

“We shouldn’t,” She echoed, “But that doesn’t mean you don’t want to,”

He grunted in response, unable to form a coherent sentence as her agile hand stroked him. He wasn’t even out of his pants and she was driving him out of his mind. Worst of all, she knew it. Forcing his eyes open to look at her, she was smiling like a smug Cheshire cat.

“We should…we should get home,” He managed to ground out through gritted teeth, “…Now”

His response wasn’t satisfactory for Rey. Home was at least 20 minutes away and she wanted him now. The hand that had been on his chest moved up his body to fist into the hair at the base of his neck, pulling him down to her so she could kiss him fiercely, her teething nipping at his bottom lip making sure her full intensions were known.

“What kind of Alpha would deny his Omega?” she growled at him.

_Topping from the bottom again Omega. You’re pushing his buttons…_

The question lit something inside of him, his pupils dilating until there was no trace of the amber brown iris left. His arm wrapped around her waist tightly, his other hand fisting in her hair and pulling her back to look at him properly, firm but gentle enough that he wasn’t going to actually hurt her, and she released him, surrendering herself to his hold completely.

“You want to know what kind of Alpha I am sweetheart?” he snarled, his teeth bared as his blood began to boil for her.

Roughly, he turned her, pushing her forward against the desk, a large hand in the middle of her back to hold her in place while his other hand pushed her jersey skirt above her hips, pulling down her tights. Clearly, she had learned from their date that skirts were the way to go.

Rey moaned happily feeling him give in to her, his hand tracing her naked behind until a sudden sting hit her, the sound of his hand landing on her cheek ringing through the room and she gasped. The mixture of pleasure and pain encouraging the ache between her legs.

“ _That_ was for teasing me,” he snapped, sauntering behind her, being sure to take his time admiring the view of Rey, naked from the waist down bent over his desk, her soaked pussy open and begging for him. He reached down, pushing a single digit into her, eliciting a choked gasp from his mate.

“Dirty girl, I’ve barely touched you yet and you’re already dripping for me,” he teased, licking her juices from his finger.

The pressure in his chest and hips was building, his rut kicking in at the scent of her, the feel of her skin and the sight of her in front of him, ready and begging for it. Still holding her in place, he quickly undid his belt, shimming his pants and underwear down to his thighs, his solid cock throbbing to be free.

“You want this?” He growled arrogantly, “You want your Alpha to fuck you like this?”

The head of him was inches away from her, she could sense it, feeling him tease around her entrance but never actually giving her what her body was crying out for. She nodded frantically biting her lip.

“Hmm,” he drawled tightly, “I’m not sure…I don’t think you’ll be able to keep quiet sweetheart,”

He pushed forward, grinding the length of himself between her drenched cunts lips, coating himself in her slick as the movement created sweet friction against her clit. She groaned loudly, her forehead hitting the desk with a thump, but she couldn’t care. There was nothing else to focus on except the formidable man behind her and the frustrating tension he was creating.

“I can…I will…I’ll be so good for you! Please Ben…please give me your cock!” she groaned, her ass wiggling and titling restlessly. He grit his teeth, growling like a caged animal.

“I’m going to get my cock wet with all your sweet cum before I fuck you,”

The gravelly deep tone of his voice, his scent, richer now he was in full rut, and the downright filthy words coming out of his mouth caused Rey to groan, balling up her fist and shoving it in her mouth to stifle her cries. Now she knew how Ben had felt.

He leaned forward, draping himself over the top of her, moving her hair from her neck to find her mating mark. His lips pressed into the back of her neck as he inhaled the mark on her skin and she could practically feel the stress leave his body, a smile curling his lips.

_That’s right. I smell like you and you smell like me._

She reached back, stroking his cheek as he nuzzled against her, nipping at the sensitive scar on her mating gland.

_MateMateMate_

His scent was spiking through the roof and she knew it, her breath catching in her throat as he kissed her gland once more, straightening himself and with a snap of his hips he thrust into her, Rey’s eyes rolling in her head at the feeling of suddenly being so full, finally getting what she had been begging for.

He set a brutal pace, the desk itself moving and scraping on the polished wooden floor. One hand on her hip, the other kept her anchored to the desk, pressure between her shoulder blades telling her his hand was still there. She couldn’t move her hips at all or meet his pace, she was helpless to him as he rutted into her.

“Is this what you wanted?” he panted, “My dirty little Omega who wanted her Alpha’s cock?”

She nodded frantically, too fucked out to actually form an answer. She tilted her ass upwards, the angle driving him deeper as he thrusted, and she cried out as his head hammered against the particularly sensitive spot of her.

He snarled, the hand holding her hips coming down sharply on the smooth of her ass cheek, leaving a handprint on her skin.

“You told me you could stay quiet sweetheart. Don’t make me spank you again,”

It was all too much. The sweet heady mix of pleasure and pain, the ferocious sounds that he was trying to hide from his throat as he pumped into her from behind. Her vision whited at she came, spots dancing in front of her eyes, stuffing the sleeve of her hoody in her mouth to try and swallow her screams. He continued to fuck her through it, frustrated that he had to pull back.

Falling forward and biting down on her clothed shoulder, he swore and cursed as he came, his knot on the outside of her just in time before they became stuck in an awkward situation. Knotting in his office when the woman who had just saved their skins was down the hall was not a good idea.

Calmer now, he released the hold on her back, stroking the pink on her bare skin gently before he leaned over grabbing a few tissues from his desk to help them clean their mess as best they could.

She pulled up her tights and rolled down her skirt, stiffly pushing herself from the desk. Instantly she found herself in his arms, being kissed softly. A far cry from the dominant Alpha who had been hammering into her only minutes ago.

“Are you okay?” he asked, stroking her cheek, his eyes wandering her face for any sign of distress. She beamed up at him, her eyes hazy with pheromones and endorphins.

“Never better,” She purred, kissing him again to assure him that he hadn’t hurt her, “I knew you’d give in to me,” She teased.

“Well, what kind of Alpha would I be if I denied my Omega anything?” he said lovingly, nipping at her lip playfully.

“So, do you really think things are going to be okay?” Rey asked, her face unsure. Ben smiled at her, smoothing her messy hair.

“I think…that we can take things a day at a time and before we know it, it’ll be spring, you’ll have graduated and we’ll be free to spend the rest of our lives together without anyone having the right to stick their nose into our business,”

She kissed him in response, allowing the sensation and taste of him to soothe her worried mind. He was right. Graduation was only 7 months away. They could handle 7 months and it wasn’t as if they couldn’t see each other off campus, away from prying eyes and gossiping students.

“Now, if I remember correctly, you’re very late to meet Rose at the bar,” Rey checked the time on her watch and winced.

“But I thought I was to be at your place for 7pm?” Ben shrugged.

“If you want to spend a little more time with your friends I don’t mind,” he said, “I assume you’ll want to catch them up with what’s going on,”

“What will you do without me then?” She teased, and he winked at her.

“I believe you mentioned something about a ‘biomedical investigation’ we’d be carrying out later tonight? I’m going to try and source some lab coats,”

Rey grinned widely. She’d never be able to take lab work seriously again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good morning! Have a chapter! <3

[](https://imgur.com/35HSXss)

“I’ve come to a conclusion,” Rey announced from her place lying on Ben’s sofa.

He was standing in his kitchen, the smell of the dinner he was making wafting through to his living room. She was surrounded by papers, a book resting in her lap as she scanned the pages.

“Oh really?” He called back through, “And what might that be?”

“You’re a very strange Alpha,”

His head popped out from the kitchen and he stared at her quizzically.

“Excuse you?” he exclaimed, his head returning to the kitchen where she heard the sound of a cork being popped and glassed clinking together. He remerged with two glasses of red wine in his hands, Rey sitting up to accept the glass he handed her, “I can’t wait to hear your explanation…”

“Well, I’m reading this book on Alpha behavioural patterns for a paper and it goes on to elaborate on how Alpha’s behave when they’re mated,” she explained, taking a sip of her wine as he settled onto the sofa next to her, Rey snuggling into his side and his free arm draping comfortably around her shoulders.

“It says that mated Alphas are territorial, suffer mood swings and are prone to violence. It also goes on to say that they rarely show affection outside of their Omega’s heats…so I’m being driven to the conclusion that you are a strange Alpha because other than the occasional scowl, I’ve never seen any of that. You’re a big softie when you’re around me,”

Ben frowned, his logical, well-schooled mind thinking about what she had just quoted. It was all sound theory, but she was right, it didn’t match at all with what he was experiencing. He took a sip of his own wine.

“Sounds like you need to get another book,” he replied, “Who wrote that anyway?”

She closed the cover of the book to show him, smiling in barely concealed amusement.

“You did,”

There on the cover, indeed, was his name. ‘Alpha Behavioural Practices’ by Benjamin Solo MSc. He frowned, and Rey couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or confused but she couldn’t stop herself from giggling. Gently, he took the book from her hands, throwing it onto the floor.

“Well then…looks like I’ll need to write another book,” he said wryly, “That one is out of date,”

“Oi, I needed that…”

“Sweetheart, it’s a Friday night and I finally have you all to myself for the weekend,” He said patiently, “Why don’t you relax a little huh?” She shuffled further down onto the sofa, her head resting in his lap as he played with her hair.

“Because Hux is nit-picking every little thing I do in his class,” She sighed, “and I need to get at least a B in his class to graduate…Do you think he knows?”

It had been a few weeks since their meeting with Professor Holdo and Rey had been moved into Hux’s Bio Cellular class without any fanfare or fuss. It was such a stark contrast to how Ben taught his classes. Ben engaged his students in conversation and debate, getting them to open their minds to different ideas and opinions. Hux on the other hand told his students exactly what he wanted them to know and more importantly, what he expected to read on their papers.

Woe betide anyone who tried to think for themselves.

The man generally seemed to regard Rey as a nuisance, a straggler coming into his class late in the year because she couldn’t handle the subject matter Ben was teaching. He hadn’t been told the exact details, Holdo keeping her word on that, but he definitely suspected something. It made Rey uncomfortable when he looked her up and down, narrowing his eyes at her. She could even see his nostrils flaring, the thought making her shudder.

_Stop smelling me you creep_

“I don’t think so,” Ben said, “If he did, he’d already have done everything in his power to try and get me fired. Rules or otherwise. I’ve barely seen him around to be honest,”

“Well, he makes me nervous,” she sighed, “And I’ve no idea how I’m going to get this paper finished if the author of the assigned reading is printing mis-information,” she quipped, smirking up at him.

He quirked an eyebrow at her teasing, gently flicking her on the nose.

“It was correct information at the time, Miss Jackson,” he drawled, “But…you know, maybe I should write another book on the subject. My experiences have changed dramatically since then, I know first hand now how mated Alphas _really_ act,”

“I will happily help you with any _experiments_ required,” she said, sticking her tongue through her teeth cheekily, making him chuckle at her.

“Hmm, I’ll bet you will,” he jibed, “What’s your paper on anyway?”

“Cell signalling funnily enough. The biochemical changes between unmated and mated Alphas,” She said, “It’s very dry. I can’t say I’m enjoying it. I miss your class,”

“I know sweetheart. I wish I could help you,” he sighed, “Fucking in my office is one thing, but if I’m caught helping you pass another class…that’s easier for Hux to prove and I’ll be damned if you’re not graduating because of that spiteful little prick,”

She grinned up at him, a flutter in her stomach at the memory of the last time they had been alone in his office and he had fucked her hard from behind bent over his desk. Sadly, it had been the last time. Since Holdo had been so supportive to them, they had both agreed that the least they could do was adhere to the rules they had been given and since Rey was no longer Ben’s student, she didn’t have the excuse of visiting him during his office hours.

“Shame, you never did get to fuck me against that bookcase…”

“I have a perfectly good bookcase in the bedroom if you want to defile some literature later,”

She laughed lightly, accepting the kiss he offered her before he lightly pushed her up from his lap to attend to the oven that had buzzed to tell them their food was ready. A dreamy smile on her face as she watched him walk away, Rey sighed happily, sipping her wine.

This was what life should be, she thought, the life she had always dreamed she would have. Safe and secure with an Alpha that she loved.

00000

“Miss Jackson, a word please?”

Rey sucked in a breath. She had been so close to leaving Professor Hux’s class without him acknowledging her. Her jaw clenched, feeling her stomach flip with anxiety as she approached the desk of his classroom. In front of him was her paper, covered in red pen.

“Yes, Professor Hux?”

“Would you like to explain this please?” he asked sharply, his face clearly unimpressed as he held up her work.

“It’s my paper…” she said tentatively. What did he want her to say?

_It’s my paper that you clearly didn’t like since you’ve bastardised it with pen marks_

“I gave you a list of resources to work from and you’ve clearly disregarded it all,” he snipped, “Would you care to tell me why?”

Rey shuffled uncomfortably from foot to foot. Hux was an Alpha, she knew that and the longer she was alone with the man, the more likely it was that he could scent her.

“Well…I discovered that the resources were mostly out of date and I recently discovered new evidence that suggested other theories. I thought it might be interesting to explore them,” she answered, trying to sound as confident as she could.

Hux scowled at her.

“Oh really?” he said, “Considering the main source was written by a Professor at this University, would you like to explain to Professor Solo why you thought his book was _outdated_?”

_Don’t laugh don’t laugh don’t laugh_

Rey bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling, the conversation she had with Ben regarding his book coming to the forefront of her mind, remembering the way he had taken the book from her hands and thrown it to his living room floor.

“I didn’t mean any offence Professor,” she said evenly, “I just thought as scientists it’s our job to explore and experiment with other possibilities!”

“You are a _student_ Miss Jackson,” Hux snapped, “You’re not a scientist yet. Your only job is to learn what we teach you and prove that you understand the subject matter!”

Rey grit her teeth, biting back a less than polite retort. The last thing she needed was to give Hux another excuse to give her a hard time. Adrenaline continued to pump through her system, her blood pounding in her ears.

_Calm. Stay calm. He’ll sense it._

Hux narrowed his eyes at her, his lip curling in an unkind sneer and she realised he wasn’t looking at her face anymore. He was looking at her neck, the tee shirt she was wearing doing a poor job of covering the whole mating mark from Ben’s teeth.

He smiled at her suddenly but there was no warmth there. It was cruel, vindictive and knowing.

“Miss Jackson, just because you decided to get yourself a thirst quencher doesn’t mean you are suddenly an expert in Alpha behaviour,” he said sardonically, “I’ve smelled that scent before. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it was someone from this University,”

Rey steeled herself, standing straighter, her chin lifting in defiance. She wasn’t about to be intimidated by the man in front of her and she took the paper from his hands.

“I’ll get this re-written Professor,” She said sharply, “and if there’s nothing else, I have another class to be getting to,”

Without a second word or glance, she turned from him to leave the room, not allowing the panicked breath to leave her chest until she was completely out of his sight.

00000

_Rey <We have a problem. Hux knows.>_

_Ben <What? How do you know that?>_

_Rey <He pulled me back after class and I’m certain he smelled you on me. Please be careful around him>_

_Ben <Did he say anything to you?>_

_Rey <Not directly…>_

Ben was about to reply to her message when the door to his office opened, the man in question walking in with a smug smile on his face, closing the door behind him.

“Oh yes,” he drawled, “ _There_ it is!”

Ben stood up from his chair, squaring his shoulders and his eyes smouldering at the other Alpha.

_Protect. Defend. Protect._

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s polite to knock?” Ben snapped, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Rey Jackson,” he said, “Now I know that’s definitely her I’m amazed I didn’t pick up on it before. You’re practically saturated with her scent…”

“Shut the _fuck_ up,” Ben snarled, “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about…” Hux bit out a cold laugh.

“Oh, don’t I?” he said, “Look at you, Solo. If you had hackles they’d be up to your ears! All I did was mention her name and you’re getting territorial…what’s the problem Ben? Worried that someone is going to get at your little _mate_?” he spat his final word, still smiling arrogantly at Ben’s reaction.

“Leave her alone,” Ben growled, glaring at the man, “She hasn’t done anything wrong,”

“No, all she’s done is fuck her Professor,” Hux replied sarcastically, “Definitely nothing wrong with that at all…”

“There’s more to it and you know that!”

“Yes, yes, biology…pheromones, hormones,” he spat, “I’ve been in this field the same amount of time as you but that doesn’t change the fact you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants and your teeth behind your gums! What was it like huh? Fucking a student in heat? I bet nothing compared to her tight little cunt!”

Roaring in anger, Ben darted forward, seizing Hux by the front of his shirt, pulling his fist back to swing as he bared his teeth dangerously but rather than cower in fear, Hux only laughed.

“Go on Solo,” he goaded, “Do it. Swing for me. You think that’ll protect her? Or you? Everyone knows that you left Dartmouth because of that little altercation with that Alpha you beat to a pulp…so go on, hit me and prove to everyone that you’re still just another out of control animal!”

His whole body trembled with red hot rage, his fist clenched so hard his nails dug into his palms, his knuckles white. He wanted nothing more than to beat the smug arrogance from the other man’s face, his protective instincts driving him forward. No, he had to think of Rey.

_MateMateMate_

He inhaled deeply, trying to take a steadying breath, finding her scent in the air from the band on his wrist. It was weak, but it was there, just enough to pull him back from the brink of losing all control. Roughly, he shoved Hux back, letting go of his shirt.

“Get the _fuck_ out of my office,” Ben sneered, “If you have a problem, take it up with Amilyn!”

Hux straightened, smiling vindictively as he wiped down his shirt and straightened his tie.

“Believe me, I will,” He smiled, “Mark my words, Ben, your days here are numbered,”

Ben’s hands were still shaking as he grabbed his phone when Hux stormed from his office, leaving him alone with his own heartbeat hammering in his ears.

_< I need you. Now.>_

00000

The back of the law school building was the most secluded place Ben could find on campus to tell Rey to meet him, his erratic emotions not willing to wait until they could find a place further away.

Rey could smell him before she saw him, his scent spiralling with intense Alpha pheromones that screamed he was out for blood. When she rounded the corner to the back of the building she saw him in the shade of the trees that hung over the brick wall behind him, pacing back and forth like a restless caged animal.

“Ben? What’s happened?” she asked quickly going to his side.

He wouldn’t stop moving, his heavily dilated eyes unfocused as he walked, his whole body solid and coiled like a spring ready to release. Rey reached out and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards her, feeling that his skin was hot and clammy.

“Talk to me,” she pleaded, “Please Ben, tell me what’s wrong? I’ve never seen you like this?!”

The touch of her hand on his naked arm made him slow down, turning to her, he grabbed her in a frantic kiss, pressing her against the brick of the building. She yelped at the sudden movement, returning his attentions but there was something desperate in his actions, his whole manner begging for reassurance from her.

Fear. He was afraid.

Gently but with a firm grip near the base of his throat, stroking over his glands, she pushed him back just enough, so she could look at his face.

“Come on, it’s me…let me breathe,” she said gently. He nodded slowly, like a drunk man trying to comprehend his surroundings, “Tell me what happened,”

“You’re right,” he said roughly, “Hux knows. He came to see me…to taunt me about it,”

“What did he say?”

“He was less than fucking polite,” Ben growled, “He was trying to goad me into…to…beat the shit out of him,”

“Why?!” Rey gasped. Hux wasn’t a small guy but Ben was certainly the much larger and stronger Alpha. Provoking him would have only ended with Hux going to the emergency room.

“Because he wanted me to attack him, so he could get me fired,” Ben sneered, “I…I’ve done it before…” Rey stiffened in his arms but didn’t move away from him.

“Wh…what? When?”

“It was years ago…I was young and angry and stupid,” he said, his voice pleading with her to understand, “I would never do that now…I’m so much calmer, especially now I have you,” Rey gave him a comforting smile, stroking his cheek.

“It doesn’t matter okay? We can let the past die,” she said, “What do you think he’s going to do?”

“I don’t know,” Ben growled cautiously, “He’s probably going to take it to Amilyn Holdo but we both know she’s got us solid there. Fuck, I hate the idea of you still being in his class!”

Rey winced, the panic of trying to calm her Alpha down completely taking her mind away from the fact that the man who was gunning for Ben was also her teacher. Even If he couldn’t get Ben fired or get Rey expelled, he could certainly make her suffer.

“It’s fine,” She sighed, “I’ll just make the best of it,” Ben glowered.

“I swear to God if he does anything, if he touches one hair on you…”

“Shh, he won’t,” she promised, massaging his neck and kissing him soundly, “He’s not going to do a damn thing,”

“But if he does…”

“Then that’s what Holdo is there for,” She replied, cutting him off, “Come on, it’s you and me remember? We’re in this together,”

He sighed in defeat, his shoulders slumping as some of then tight tension finally began to release under her influence, as she nuzzled against his neck instinctively. She was there, in his arms and safe.

_MateMateMate_

“You and me,” he repeated slowly, pushing back the foreboding feeling in his gut, “You and me,”

00000

“This is completely unacceptable!”

The moment Hux had left Ben’s office he had stormed down the hallway, some unfortunate students who got in his path having to jump out of the way lest they were shoved. He had invaded Holdo’s office without knocking, erupting in fury.

“Yes, so you’ve said Armitage,” Holdo said flatly, “But as _I_ have said, there is nothing you can do about it. The Mating Protection Act is very clear about these things and the legal department has gone over everything with a fine-tooth comb. They’ve played by our rules and submitted their bloodwork and not one, but _two_ independent labs assessed the data. They’re not just mated, they’re soulmated…”

“Oh, come _on_ Amilyn!” Hux scoffed, “You can’t believe that bloody rubbish! Soulmated?!”

“Call it what you will! Optimised biochemistry, 100% compatibility, synchronised pheromones…It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you know the score as well as I do when it comes to these things, it’s _literally_ our jobs and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

Hux grunted in frustration. When he had realised that the girl in his class was mated with Ben Solo he had seen the perfect opportunity. How easy would it be to get the man fired, to slip into his role? A professor having an affair with a student was a sure-fire way to do that but no, they had to go and be _mated,_ throwing a spanner into the works of his perfect little plan.

“So, I’ve to continue to teach this girl like nothing is wrong? Like she hasn’t been fucking a faculty member?!”

“Armitage! That’s enough!” Holdo snapped, “That is exactly what you will do; your job! And if I hear even a whisper of a rumour that you have done anything to her grades, so help me God, I will make sure you’re back to teaching public high school science, do you hear me?”

Hux glared at the woman across her desk, her facial expression matching his in a deep scowl. Fine, if she wasn’t going to help him then he would simply have to help himself.

“I hear you _perfectly_ Amilyn,” he said with a tight smile, excusing himself and stalking from her office.

This wasn’t over, not for Hux, not by a long shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May we all remember that Hux is a nasty piece of work in any universe.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if you guys can tell but I'm having the BEST time writing this story at the moment. I just can't stop and I'm sure that's down to your guys and all your wonderful comments driving me forward. So thank you!
> 
> So, this chapter was threatening to turn into a bit of a monster, as a result, Thanksgiving is spread over two chapters. Smutless this time, I promise the filth will return!
> 
> I just want my babies to have some more happy times...

[](https://imgur.com/3RDBOX9)

The run up to the Thanksgiving holidays felt tense for both of them.

Ben spent most of his time catching up on his grading, making sure that his students would have their preliminary grades before they left for their break, ensuring they wouldn’t spend their time worrying when they could have been relaxing. Each evening, the pair would sit together after dinner, both surrounded by papers and working together in comfortable silence, until Rey would pluck the papers from his hand and lead him to bed with a cheeky smile on her face.

Hux had become suspiciously silent, which was the cause of their tension. They knew he had gone to Holdo and complained, Holdo having told Rey when they had their status meeting. She had assured the younger girl that nothing was going to happen and she herself would be sure to co-grade Rey’s work, just in case Hux didn’t toe the line.

In class, he said nothing out of the ordinary to Rey. In fact, he barely acknowledged she was there which suited her fine. It was a far cry from the abuse she had been expecting. Whenever he passed Ben in the hall, he was silent, only throwing the taller man a sharp glare which Ben returned every time.

“I still don’t trust him,” Ben said, his hands gripping the steering wheel of his BMW X3 as they drove, the sun shining brightly on the freshly fallen snow, “It just doesn’t make any sense. He’s not the type to stay quiet about things,”

“Ben, baby, can we please not talk about Hux today?” Rey asked, “It’s Thanksgiving and I want to just have a nice, relaxing day with you and your family,” Ben smiled, a huff of a laugh escaping him.

“My family and quiet don’t exactly go together,” He said, “But, you’re right, let’s not think about it…we’ve got 9 whole days where I don’t need to share you with Harvard University and I plan to take full advantage of it!”

His parents had retired to a large home in Lexington, a short drive away from where they lived in Cambridge, the pair setting off early at the insistence of Ben’s mother who wanted to spend the whole day with her Son and his new mate.

The radio that played in the background abruptly stopped, replaced with the sound of his phone ringing. ‘Leia Organa-Solo’ appeared on the screen in the dashboard, indicating he had a call waiting.

“Here we go,” Ben muttered, pressing the answer button on his steering wheel, “Hi Mom,” he answered, his voice a little louder to make up for the speaker phone.

“Ben! I was just calling to make sure you’re on your way!” the woman’s voice echoed around the car, “I was worried you’d cancel at the last minute again,”

“It’s all good Mom,” He said, “We’re on the road now. Won’t be more than a half hour top,”

“Good! Oh, I can’t wait to see you and that girl of yours!” his mother gushed. Ben wrinkled his nose at her enthusiasm, “She better be in the car with you Benjamin!” He grinned over at Rey who sat blushing.

“She is,” he promised, “And she can’t wait to meet you!”

“Alright you two,” Leia said, her smile evident in her voice, “Drive safe! The snow around here can be pretty dicey. I’ll see you soon,” The call ended, and Rey squealed, causing Ben to jump in surprise.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe I’m having Thanksgiving dinner with Leia Organa!” She squealed, practically bouncing up and down in the seat. Ben sniggered.

“You’ve also been fucking her son for a few months but no biggie…”

“Oh shush,” Rey said, “Without your mother’s work, I might never have taken the biomed route which would mean I would never have taken your class and we might not have met…so really, you should be thanking her,”

“Thanks for the mate Mom,” Ben said sarcastically, “I’m pleased that you’re so excited but remember, she’s just…my Mom who will be running around doing Mom things. Seriously, she _loves_ the holidays and she’s crazy excited that not only am I going to be there but I’m bringing someone,”

“You’ve never brought someone to meet your parents before?” Rey asked curiously. Ben shook his head.

“No, I never have,” he answered honestly, “I didn’t really do actual relationships before I met you. A few casual things with some Betas but…you’re actually the only Omega I’ve been with,”

“Really?” Rey asked in surprise, “How is that even possible? Have you _seen_ you?!”

He laughed a high pitched, awkward chuckle, a flush appearing on his cheeks but he kept his eyes on the road.

“Aside from the fact that there actually aren’t that many Omegas around? The few unmated Omegas I met were mainly through my work and I never really connected with anyone. The casual things I did have, my heart wasn’t really in it…”

Rey was beaming at his confession. She knew he loved her and what they shared was profound but to hear him say that he had never been with another Omega made her feel all the more special.

“Since we’re confessing,” he said cautiously, “And I’m not sure I want to know the answer to this…but how about you?”

“How about me…what?”

“Any…other Alphas I should know about?”

_Any other Alphas I have to immediately hunt down and murder?_

Rey shook her head, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

“No, not at all,” she replied, “Any Alpha I met before you, especially my age, was thinking with their knots and they never smelled… _right_. A couple of Betas here and there but if it makes you feel any better, you’re the only Alpha I’ve ever been with. Ever,”

Try as he might, Ben couldn’t prevent the superior smile on his face, his chest puffing with masculine Alpha pride and Rey could smell the spike in his scent.

“I thought you might like that,” she quipped, biting her lip to keep from smirking at him. He glanced over at her, eyeing the way her teeth marked the tender pink flesh. Her confession that he was her only Alpha and knowing that he would be her only Alpha _ever_ was making his cock twitch in his jeans.

“You’re going to have to stop that or I’ll have to pull the car over,” he growled, “I don’t think my Mom will appreciate us turning up to her place late reeking of mixed pheromones…among other things,”

Rey blatantly raked her eyes over his body, looking him up and down. He was particularly handsome in his dark blue jeans and black cashmere sweater, wrapped in his long dark grey wool coat. She inhaled deeply, savouring his scent and allowing it to send shocks of lust straight to her core. He huffed in agitation.

“I’m warning you sweetheart,” he growled playfully, “Stop that, I can _smell_ it on you…”

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“Mmmhmm”

Pressing another button, he cracked his driver window open, allowing the frosty air to hit him in the face.

00000

They pulled up the driveway of a large two-story brick house, the front porch covered with a canopy that was supported by two large white columns. On the steps leading to the front door were pumpkins and pots of bright orange flowers, crates of decorative apples and shucks of corn, all surrounded by a few wooden painted turkeys, wearing pilgrim hats. Finishing off the display was a wreath of autumn leaves on the front door.

“Wow,” Rey breathed, emerging from the car, her hot breath steaming in the cold air, “This is your parent’s house?”

It turned out being the top of your field for so long and combing those incomes could buy you something pretty nice in your later years.

“I told you, Mom _loves_ the holidays,” he said nodding towards the display on the porch, “Just watch, by Christmas it’ll be a whole new display,”

He squeezed her hand, his finger hovering over the doorbell.

“Ready?” he teased, and she grinned at him, her stomach fluttering.

Her first Thanksgiving with Ben and his family. Her family.

She nodded, and he pressed the button, the bell sounding through the house. There was a moment of silence, Ben’s eyes looking upwards as he listened out for movement behind the large white door.

“HAN! HAN, CAN YOU GET THE DOOR?! I THINK THAT’S BEN AND HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND!”

Ben rolled his eyes at the sound of his mother’s screeching, Rey trying to stifle a giggle of excitement. It was exactly what she expected a family to be like and at the same time, nothing at all what she had expected from the Organa-Solos.

“YEAH, I’M GOING…YOU DON’T NEED TO YELL!” His Father’s voice she assumed.

“BE NICE TO HER!”

The door opened and in front of her stood an older gentleman dressed in a grey turtleneck and black dress pants. He had short, silver hair and had a grumpy expression that melted away into a charming smile, Rey immediately recognising some of Ben’s features.

“Hello Son,” the man greeted, “Nice of you to finally make it to one of these things,”

“Hi Dad,” Ben replied, politely ignoring the small barb, “This is Rey Jackson,”

Han smiled at her warmly, reaching out and shaking her hand, leading them both inside.

“It is fantastic to meet you Rey,” he said, “Come in, both of you, it’s damn cold!”

They entered the spacious hallway of the house, Ben helping Rey take off her coat. It was classically decorated, modern but with tradition elements that matched the exterior, but much like the front porch, it was decorated with pumpkins and other autumnal elements.

“I see Mom’s been busy decorating,” Ben said wryly, and Han nodded, rolling his eyes.

“You know her,” he grunted, “God forbid we forget what season it is…and guess who had to help her?” Ben smirked at his Father.

“You could always tell her ‘no’”

“Because that worked so well Halloween of 2015,” Han replied, “Happy wife. Happy life. Remember that kiddo!” he jested, emphasizing his message by levelling a finger at Ben, “But enough about damn pumpkins, come in Rey and make yourself at home. Ben tells us you’re studying Biomedical Science at Harvard?”

“Oh…Um…yes that’s right,” she stammered, not realising that Ben had told his parents really anything about her, especially that she was still studying at the University her worked at.

Awkwardly, she realised they would be fully aware that he was a Professor and she was a student. She couldn’t imagine that they would be thrilled at the prospect of their overachieving Son putting his career on the line like that.

“Well then you’ll have plenty to talk about with Leia. She loves all that stuff,” Han said, “Me, I was always more into digging in the dirt!” he finished, winking at her.

Rey concluded that her initial thoughts about Han Solo were true. He was utterly charming in a very different way to Ben. While Ben could be awkward and a little bit nerdy, Han was confident. There was a manner about him that she could imagine many a young girl swooning over in his younger years.

“Is that my Son!?”

Leia’s voice echoed from the spacious kitchen, footsteps ringing on the floor as she walked through, appearing in the archway that separated the living room from the dining room. She was smaller than Rey had expected in person, her long grey hair pulled back into a braid. She was wearing a turkey shaped apron and her cheek had a smudge of flour on the front.

“Ben! Oh my God, it is so good to see you!” She gushed, rushing forward and grabbing his face, pulling him down to kiss his cheeks, “You look so well darling!”

“Hi Mom,” he said affectionately, allowing his 6-foot 2-inch frame to be manipulated by the smaller woman in front of him, “It’s good to see you,”

“You’ve let your hair grow again!” She said, fingering his dark locks, “It suits you!” Suddenly she turned to Rey, who was standing dumbstruck.

“And this must be Rey!” she beamed, “I have heard _so_ much about you. Whenever I can get my boy on the phone you’re all he ever talks about!”

“Mom…” Ben whined, his face lighting up in embarrassment, but Leia paid him no attention. She moved over to Rey, holding her by the shoulders at arm’s length.

“Well you are just gorgeous! Isn’t she gorgeous Han?” she fussed, a bright and enthusiastic smile on her face. Rey felt giddy and bashful all at once at the approval being rained down on her.

It was a strange feeling to be accepted so readily by a Mother figure, especially one she had looked up to most of her adult life.

“And I hear you’re studying Biomedical science and Omega studies,” the woman continued, “I would just _love_ to talk to you about how that’s going. If you need _any_ help on the subject, I am here for you to question…Han, the kids don’t even have drinks yet? Why haven’t you offered them a drink?”

Han huffed gruffly.

“They’re literally two minutes in the door sweetheart,” He muttered, and Rey smiled at the familiar term of endearment.

A ping resonated from the kitchen and Leia’s head quirked up at the sound.

“That’s the oven! Rey, would you be a dear and come and help me in the kitchen, we can have a little girl talk!”

“Oh God…” Ben groaned, tipping his head back and closing his eyes. Han clapped him on the back.

“Just let it happen Son…” he quipped, “Come on, you’re not driving for a while. How about I get you that drink?”

Leia wrapped her arm around Rey’s shoulders, walking her towards the kitchen. Her senses were assaulted by a cornucopia of delicious smells from the turkey in the oven to the pumpkin pies cooling on the counter.

“I don’t really need a hand,” Leia smiled, “I just wanted to get you alone for a little bit before this house fills up…it can get a little manic!”

“Oh…I see,” Rey smiled awkwardly, “You have a beautiful home!”

Leia opened the oven, picking up a tray of potatoes and shoving them on the shelf under the bird.

“Thank you dear!” she replied, closing the door and pulling off her oven gloves, “You don’t need to stand on ceremony with me honey, we’re family now, especially since my boy sunk his teeth into you!”

Blood rushed to Rey’s face in mortification, her hand immediately flying to the bite mark she thought she had covered, feeling that her sweater was still lying over the top of it. Leia laughed.

“I don’t need to see the mark to know that it’s there,” she said, “I’ve been in this business a long time, think I don’t know a mated pair when I see them?”

The older woman wandered over to the wine rack, pulling out a bottle and grabbing some glasses.

“Wine?”

“God yes,” Rey choked awkwardly, readily accepting the glass that was handed to her.

“You know, I have never seen my Son so… _peaceful_ ,” Leia said wistfully, “He was so angry as a boy, and I do blame myself for that…I wasn’t always there for him growing up, and it made him rather distant as an adult but with you, he’s become so much warmer. He says you’re an exemplary student of the science. He’s very proud,”

Rey sipped her wine, her gut fluttering at the kind words.

“So…you don’t mind that he’s…was…my teacher?” Rey asked quietly, dreading the answer. Leia shook her head.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t fight biology,” Leia said plainly, “Many have tried, and it always ends in misery. Besides, I’ve seen your blood work, I know how strong a pull you two had. Soulmates if ever I saw them,” Rey frowned.

“How did you get hold of our bloodwork?!”

“I have contacts at Brown,” Leia winked, enjoying the shocked look on Rey’s face, “So, to answer your question, no, it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. That’s what The Mating Protection Act was for after all,”

“Dr Organa…”

“Leia, please honey, call me Leia,”

“Leia,” Rey began again, “You just said ‘soulmates’ do you believe in that? Is there an actual term for it?” Leia nodded.

“There’s too much evidence to dispute it,” she said, “and I’ve done a lot of research into the subject! The official term in the field is Fully Synchronised Hormone Compatible, or FSHC. It means that every single element of your biochemistry matches his, molecule for molecule which makes that pull almost impossible to resist. Soulmates is just a nicer, less mouthy, term for it. You should be proud, it’s very rare!”

Rey smiled into her wine glass, enjoying the fuzzy feeling that was spreading through her chest from more that just the alcohol. It might have seemed flowery to some but confirmation that her and Ben may have been literally born to be together filled her with a sense of belonging that she had been missing for so long. Ben, his family, their future.

It had been worth the wait.

The doorbell rang again, and Leia grinned widely.

“That will be my brother Luke and the others!” she cried, “Come and meet everyone!”

Before she had a chance to take a breath, Rey found herself marched back through to the living room, instantly going back to Ben’s side. He wrapped his arm around her, kissing her hair.

“You holding up okay?” he whispered to her, “I know my Mom can be a little intense,” Rey nodded, cuddling closer to him.

“She’s something alright!” she smiled, “I love her,”

“I knew you would,” he winked.

Loud chatter could be heard from the front door as Han opened it to greet their guests, laughter and joviality echoing from the front hall. Three men walked into the living room, all very different but with wide smiles on their faces.

“Everyone, this is Rey,” Han said, introducing the girl, “Rey this is Leia’s brother Luke and my two good friends Charles, but we call him Chewie, and…”

“Lando Calrissian, at your service,” the older, dark man stepped forward, his voice still smooth and warm as he picked up her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

Even with Ben next to her, Rey flushed, giggling in her chest while Ben frowned lightly, pulling her a little tighter to his side.

“Uncle Lando, do you mind?” Lando laughed heartily, reaching over to hug Ben.

“Oh, relax Benny, I’m not here to take your girl!” he jested, “You can relax those bolder shoulders of yours! It’s lovely to meet you Rey,” She nodded at him with a shy smile, the blush still on her cheeks.

“I’m Luke,” the other bearded man said stepping forward to shake her hand, “It’s so nice to finally see Ben settled down with a nice girl,”

Ben quirked an eyebrow, taking a glug of his bourbon to hide his smile. ‘Nice’ was an interesting description considering he knew how much of a tease she was behind closed doors. Of course, he’d never tell his family that.

“It’s great to meet you,” Rey said, “Ben tells me you teach moral and philosophical studies?” Luke smiled widely.

“That’s right, I do,” he said, “and I’d be happy to give you both a small lecture on the subject of morality after dinner,” he winked at Ben, the taller man’s jaw clenching and his mouth turning to a thin line.

“Well…now I’m suitably mortified, can I get anyone a drink?”

“No, but you can both help me put this food out on the table!” Leia said, appearing in the doorway. Ben huffed a sigh of relief, pulling Rey with him.

So far, so good. They just had to make it through dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leia Organa would be a totally extra holiday Mum and you can't tell me any different. The Organa-Solo family interactions are very much based on what it's like going round to my own family home for Christmas...
> 
> If you're in the US, I am jealous that you guys have Thanksgiving.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3 updates in one day. Don't ever say I'm not good to you! In the words of my Husband who has been putting up with my obsession over writing, "There is no sleep. Only story and smut,"
> 
> I present to you - Thanksgiving part 2 or, "Leia isn't an idiot,"

[](https://imgur.com/zJpSbRH)

Ben choked suddenly, the piece of turkey in his mouth shooting to the back of his throat at the unexpected inhale.

“Ben!” Leia snapped, “Don’t eat your food so quickly, drink some water!”

Rey smiled innocently, her hand drifting back down his thigh under the table, her movements hidden by the tasteful, autumn themed tablecloth. He sipped his water, offering his mate a subtle side eye as he did.

She had been teasing him since they had sat down, her playful arousal from their conversation in the car returning after the nerves of meeting his family had died away. The wine hadn’t hurt either. It had begun as gentle strokes to his knee, a small squeeze here and there, but she was growing bold, and that time her hand had managed to brush the head of his cock through his jeans.

At exactly the same time he was chewing.

The conversation had flown easily, despite her wandering hands. Rey and Leia discussed theories at great detail, most of which was lost on Han who decided to break off and have his own conversations with Lando and Chewie, leaving the science to the three at the other side of the table.

“I was actually thinking about writing another book,” Ben said as they continued their meal.

“Really? What subject would you be researching this time?” Leia asked as she topped up Rey’s wine glass then her own.

“It would actually be a revision of sorts. The book I wrote a few years ago on Alpha behavioural patters after mating is a little…outdated,” he said. Leia gave him a wry smile.

“Is that because you now know first hand that a lot of it is total BS?” she quipped, and Ben snorted.

“It’s not ‘BS’ Mom,” he said flatly, “There’s still a lot of merit behind those theories but, if you must know, yes…my own experiences have made me rethink a couple of things and I think it’s worth exploring them a little bit more,” Leia smiled proudly.

“I think that’s a very good idea Ben,” she said, “You know if you need any help or contacts…”

“No,” he said carefully, “But thank you, I know you’re just trying to help. I didn’t need help with anything else, I’m not going to start taking handouts no…OW!”

Leia peered at her Son curiously as his voice pitched, Rey tilting her head towards him to mirror his Mother, but her eyes shone with amusement and bad intentions. He clenched his jaw, growling under his breath.

“Sorry,” he muttered, “Leg cramp all of a sudden!”

It was a poor excuse and he knew it but what else could he say?

_My mate is trying to paw at my dick under the dinner table. Pass the yams please?_

Leia raised an eyebrow at him in suspicion and he shrugged innocently. Shaking her head, she moved to stand.

“Luke, help me clear the plates please?” She requested, “I think we should have a little break before we start tearing into those pies…let our dinner settle,”

The table nodded in agreement, Chewie and Lando groaning at the pressure in their stomachs.

“I don’t think I could eat another bite, Leia,” Lando groaned, “Excellent meal, as always!”

“Come on,” Han said, returning to the dining room, “Let’s move to the living room guys, the game is just about to start,”

The Lando and Chewie nodded in agreement, each of them groaning with the effort of having to stand after eating such a meal. Luke nodded towards Leia.

“I think I’ll catch up with my sister,” he said with a smile, “We don’t get to see each other too often and I couldn’t care less about the Cowboys or Green Bay!”

Ben was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from moaning as Rey’s hand edged closer up his inner thigh. At this rate, he wasn’t going to be able to get up from the table.

“I think I’m going to take Rey on a walk around the forest trails out back,” Ben said, clearing his throat, “She’s never been around this area and it’s really…umm…pretty in the snOW!”

His knee jerked, hitting the table with a dull thud and Rey had to bite her lip for giggling. His kneecap throbbed but it was nothing compared to the tightness in his pants.

“That sounds like a great idea, you’ll love it around here Rey! Leia and Han picked a fantastic area to retire to,” Luke said, blissfully unaware of the scene playing out in front of him. Of course, he couldn’t scent anything. He was a Beta, but Leia smirked at her Son, watching the muscle twitch under his left eye.

_Oh, to be young and freshly mated._

“Sure, you two go out and enjoy yourselves,” she said quipped, “It’s very warm in here, perhaps the snow will help you _cool off_. Come on Luke, let’s get the coffee on,”

Ben watched his Mother and Uncle leave the room, following them with his eyes until he was certain it was only Rey and himself alone in the dining room. Oh yes, Leia Organa definitely knew what was going on.

“ _You,_ Miss Jackson, are turning into the most relentless little tease; do you know that?” he growled, but there was a playful smile on his face, despite the fact he was straining painfully against his jeans.

Rey smiled at him innocently.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Professor?” Rey replied lightly, “I was just enjoying Thanksgiving…”

“You couldn’t at least let me finish my turkey before you started trying to get me hard?” he asked dryly, and she shook her head, grinning at him with her tongue between her teeth.

“Call it revenge…”

“For what exactly?!”

“For not pulling the car over on the way here…”

Ben rolled his eyes, wondering if their combined hormones had created a monster.

“So,” Rey began cheerily, “Do you want to take me on a walk?” Ben nodded tentatively, his face suddenly unsure.

“I do…but you might need to give me a minute,”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t stand up…”

00000

“You were right. This place is absolutely beautiful,”

They walked slowly hand in hand through the forest trail near the open land at the back of his parent’s home. The morning sun had been replaced with a smattering of grey clouds that had begun to thicken, threating another snowfall. The temperature had dropped further, and Rey wrapped herself around Ben’s arm for warmth.

He was still wound up from her earlier teasing but the situation in his pants had eased itself enough that walking wasn’t going to cause him an issue. That hadn’t meant he had forgotten.

Or forgiven.

“So where exactly are we going?” she asked curiously. Ben smiled at her, his eyes sparkling.

“You’ll see,”

The trail he had lead her down emerged at a large lake, the beautiful view was haunting in shades of greys, whites and dark blues as a light layer of mist hung on the water from the cold. Near them there was a small pier with boats tied to them, a small, well kept boathouse next to the water.

“Ben this place is gorgeous,” she sighed, “It looks like the water goes on forever,”

“My Dad and his buddies come out here to fish a lot,” Ben said, walking them up to the boathouse, pulling a key from his pocket, “They don’t own the land here, but they do rent parts of it. This included,”

Pushing the door open, Rey followed his hand that indicated for her to go inside. It was a single room but well maintained, with a sofa and coffee table, a small fridge in the corner and a table with two chairs. It almost remined Rey of a clubhouse.

As she stood taking in her surroundings, Ben approached her from behind, his hands trailing a path from hers, up to her shoulders until one wrapped gently around her throat, the other stroking back down towards her stomach towards her belt. His breath was hot against her ear and neck in comparison to the chill of the room and she shuddered in anticipation.

“Now…tell me, do _you_ think that was very nice of you?” he asked roughly, “Answer me Omega,”

He increased the pressure under her chin, tilting her head back against his chest as he gazed down at her, his eyes liquid and hungry.

“No Alpha,” she breathed, the angle of her throat making it hard for her to speak clearly. He smiled.

“That’s right, it wasn’t,” he said, “and what do you think Omega’s get when they tease their Alphas?”

“Punished,” he bent down, biting at her neck, dragging a ragged gasp from her as his sharp teeth grazed her skin.

“That’s right. They get punished,” he replied sternly, “The problem is sweetheart, you seem to enjoy being punished…so what to do with you?”

She stiffened against him and he felt the tension run through her back and arms. He frowned in concern, loosening the grip around her neck, although it hadn’t been tight to begin with, he leaned closer to her ear.

“Tell me to stop, and I’ll stop,” he whispered gently, and she smiled, relaxing the tension in her body. She nodded to him, indicating for him to carry on his dominant role. He was her Alpha, he was going to take care of her.

_MateMateMate_

“I love you,” his voice was tender as he kissed her mating mark. He inhaled her scent deeply, pulling off her coat and throwing it over the sofa, leaving her only in her sweeter and jeans. He frowned again, a skirt would have been much more efficient for what he had planned but then, she probably didn’t expect to put herself in this situation at his parents on Thanksgiving.

It wasn’t exactly what he had in mind either, but there they were.

“Get on all fours,” he commanded, his voice a low, velvety rumble that caused a pang of excitement in her gut, her clit pulsing at the sound of him.

She did as he asked, dropping to her knees carefully on the rug. Ben lowered himself to his own knees at her side, releasing the catch on her belt and pulling down her jeans to her knees, thanking whatever God was listening that they had a stretch in them.

The cold air hit her bare skin, the wetness of her shocked at the sudden sensation. He smiled arrogantly at the sight of his beautiful girl, on his knees for him and bare, his hand tracing the smooth expanse of her ass.

“Now normally, I would say a spanking is in order,” he growled, the warmth of her contrasting nicely with the frigid air in the small, unheated building, “But I know for a fact, you’d enjoy that, so we’re going to try something a little different…”

Her breath caught in anticipation, feeling his hand trace around her, his fingers finding her clit and circling her slowly. She moaned, long and slow at the sensation of him finally giving her the touch she had been craving.

“We’re going to play a game sweetheart,” he said, “I want you to tell me when you’re about to cum. Do you understand? Say it,”

“I…I understand,” she panted with effort. His finger was working her with painful, deliberate slowness, Ben delighting in every twitch and gasp that she made under his touch.

He added to his single digit, two pads of his fingers working her as he increased the pace of his circling, teasing the soaked bundle of nerves into a frenzy. He could hear as her breathing shallowed, her moans echoing around the small room.

“Oh God…I think I’m going to…Fuck, Ben!”

He grinned, suddenly pulling his hand away, the abrupt absence of his fingers pulling her back from the blissful edge she was ready to throw herself from. Her panicked eyes flew open, her neck stretching round to try and look at him.

“Wh…what?” she whimpered, her drenched cunt clenching around nothing in frustration. He chuckled.

“See, it’s not nice when someone teases you is it?”

“Ben, _Alpha_ , please…” she moaned, begging for her relief.

“Hmm…I wonder…” he droned thoughtfully.

She gasped sharply, smiling in pleasure as his fingers returned to her, continuing the lazy circles he had begun with. She was so pent up, the pressure increasing tenfold quickly because of his cruel withdrawal.

It was a sweet kind of torture, he knew that, but it was the most effective way to make his point. She felt the pressure of his attentions increase, tension coiling in her like a compressed spring, desperate to burst.

Ben smirked to himself, he knew her body well enough to know when she was going to cum for him. If anything, she was predictable in that regard, her moans pitching as her back arched, her ass delightfully wiggling in the air for him.

“Fuck…fuck fuck!” she panted, her throat practically raw from her vocals.

Could he?

Something between a frustrated scream and sob ripped from her throat as he withdrew once more, bringing his fingers to his mouth to taste her. Her whole body was quivering, her thighs shaking.

“Do you think I’ve made my point?” he said huskily, stroking her hair. While he was enjoying teasing his Omega, his cock was begging for relief and she was so ready for him.

No, not yet. She had done so well and deserved some relief.

“Ben _please_ …” She growled, teeth bared, her head dropped to the ground and her lips were flushed from the pressure of her teeth biting down on the soft flesh. He stroked her skin tenderly, the action in direct contrast to how cruel she felt he was being.

“Do you want me to make you cum sweetheart?” He crooned, “Do you think you’ve learned your lesson?”

She nodded frantically.

“Yes! Please Ben…please let me cum, I’ll be good…I’ll be so good…”

No sooner had the promise left her lips, he thrust two fingers into her, pumping her quickly wrapping his other arm around her hips to maul her clit, the combination of his thick fingers filling her and the vibrations he was creating sending her to a tipping point in a matter of seconds, his torturous edging making her especially sensitive.

She was so loud he was glad they were in a secluded area.

Unable to contain himself any longer, he moved behind her, releasing his aching member from the restriction of his jeans. She flinched involuntarily when he ran his hand over her sensitive slit, gathering her juices and coating himself.

“I’m going to fuck you now sweetheart,” he promised, “Your Alpha is going to take care of you,”

Swiftly and in one motion he pushed into her, her tight cunt wrapping around him and he groaned at the heat of her. She had wound him up so completely that he knew he wouldn’t last long, which was only a positive considering their location.

She cried out, meeting him stroke for stroke with her hips, pushing back against him as they fucked like animals on the boathouse floor.

“Oh fuck, Ben…I’m…I’m gonna…”

“Do it!” he hissed, “Come on, I know you’ve got one more in you sweetheart,”

Keening back, her body arching in an almost unnatural way, her walls pulsed and clenched around him, every ridge of her perfect core rippling along his cock. God, he wished he could knot her.

He pulled out roughly as he came, his cock shooting thick ropes of his cum across the rug, his breathing ragged and eyes unfocused. Weakly, Rey allowed her unless limbs to finally give out, tipping herself to the side, Ben instantly joining her, pulling her shivering body into his arms, peppering her face and neck with tender, soft kisses.

“Okay?” he asked her. What he had just put her through was more intense than he had planned but she smiled at him lazily.

“You’re an asshole,” she laughed, still bringing her breathing back to normal, “I love you,” He grinned in relief.

What the hell he had done to deserve this woman he would never know.

A shiver ran through her body and he suddenly realised that they were lying on the floor of an unheated shack, in the middle of November, in the snow and that she was only half dressed.

“Shit,” he muttered, helping her pull her jeans up, “You’re freezing,”

“Worth it,” she sighed happily, stretching her aching muscles. He pushed himself up, grabbing her coat and helping her to her feet so he could wrap the wool around her body, pulling her into his arms.

“We should head back,” he said softly. It was something she especially loved about Ben, how he could switch between being her dominant Alpha to the soft, tender man in front of her.

 “My Mom will…well actually, no she won’t be wondering where we are…she knows _exactly_ what we’ve been doing,”

“What about the mess?” Rey chuckled, an eyebrow raised as she nodded towards the thoroughly defiled rug. Ben paused, blinking down at the offending item.

She watched as he bent down rolling the rug up and throwing it in the corner. He grinned at her.

“Problem solved!”

They walked back towards the Solo-Organa home, walking in through the backdoor into the kitchen where they were met by Leia. Wordlessly, but with a knowing twinkle in her eye, she handed them a plate of pumpkin pie each.

00000

“Be sure to call or text as soon as you get home!”

“I will Mom,”

“Because those roads can be really dangerous in this weather, I mean it Ben!”

“I know Mom,”

“And please let me know if you two will be coming for Christmas,”

“I will Mom, I promise!”

“Let the kids go, Leia!” Han said, stepping forward, “We can’t stand on the porch all night and the kids have a drive back!” Ben shot his Father a grateful glance, Han winking at him in support.

While Ben was hugging his Uncle and his Father goodbye, Leia pulled Rey into a crushing embrace.

“You make my Son so happy,” she whispered to her, “Welcome to the family,”

Caught off guard by the sudden flood of emotion that hit her chest, Rey could feel a stinging in the back of her eyes. Her bottom lip quivered slightly.

“Thank you,” She said sincerely. Ben stepped towards them, accepting one more kiss on his cheek from his Mother before the couple walked back towards his car.

Holding her close, he glanced at her face, his easy smile slipping when he saw the tears shining in her hazel eyes.

“Rey? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said, choking back her emotion, “It’s just…I’ve never spent a holiday like that…ever. It’s just the first time I’ve felt like I actually belonged somewhere,”

Approaching the passenger door, he kissed her sweetly, wiping a stray tear from her face.

“I told you,” he promised, “We’re your family now,”

They travelled back towards Cambridge in comfortable silence, Rey drifting to sleep in the passengers seat to the sound of her Alpha singing softly along with the radio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PSA: Remember folks, sex should be comfortable and fun for everyone involved. Always check that your partner is down for what's about to happen.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm going to apologise in advance. I know ya'll love the fluff and the smut and the smuff (Smut fluff) but we're veering into some darker territory and things are about to get a teeny bit angst ridden. 
> 
> Stick with me!

[](https://imgur.com/IsHu1dw)

Thanksgiving break had flown in far too quickly for Ben’s taste.

Even though Rey had managed to convince him a few times to leave the comfort of their respective apartments, making time to be social with her friends and catch up on what they did with their families, they spent the majority of their time blissfully curled around each other, saturated in the others presence.

While Rey adored his primal side, the part of him that would snarl at her with wild, dark eyes, fucking her until her legs were next to useless and she was screaming his name, all teeth marks and scratches, there were other nights when he would take his time. He would worship her body with the gentlest of touches, pure devotion in his coffee tinted eyes, when he would whisper how much he loved her against her parted lips as he entered her, moving with achingly slow strokes until they were spent. The slow build up a sweet torture until they both finally came undone.

God, she loved this man.

But all good things had to come to an end and they found themselves back to their routine. The only thing that settled Ben’s annoyance was that the Christmas break was coming, and they had finally set a moving date for her to move into his apartment; as soon as she graduated. It was later than he would have liked but since instantly wasn’t an option, he conceded that her seeing out her lease was the most sensible plan.

“Tell me again why we need to go back?” Ben huffed, buttoning up the front of his shirt. Rey smiled at him, picking up his tie for him and throwing it around the upturned collar around his neck.

“Because although you protest, I know you actually love your job,” she said, using the tie to pull him down for a kiss, “And the mid-terms will be coming up soon. You’ll have a lot of worried students who will need your help,”

“I think you’ll find I prepare my students rather well,” he said, fixing his tie and smoothing his collar, “Unlike some Professors…”

“Ben…”

“What? I’m just saying…the sooner you’re away from that guy the better I’ll feel,”

“Well, me too,” She sighed, pulling on her boots, “Remember, just take things a day at a time…although, I do have a meeting with him today at one. I think it’s to discuss my paper,”

“Oh, your cell signalling paper?” he asked as they wandered through to his kitchen, Rey grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge while Ben poured himself a mug of coffee, “I liked that paper,”

“You weren’t supposed to read that paper…” He shrugged.

“No, I’m not supposed to grade the paper…they didn’t say anything about reading it,” he grinned, and she rolled her eyes affectionately.

It was this part of their life that had caught her off guard the most. From her years of studying, the various journals and texts she had read made Alpha/Omega relationships to be wild and unpredictable. Two people ruled only by hormones and visceral instincts. It was part of the reason Rey had resisted getting involved with any Alphas. While they had their moments, nothing had prepared Rey for how _domestic_ they were, and she found that she loved that almost as much as their sex life.

Almost.

She smiled at him shyly, watching him through her lashes as he sipped his coffee, checking his emails on his phone. Feeling her eyes on him, he looked up at her, a smile tugging at one side of his lips.

“What?”

She crossed the kitchen silently, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head on his chest, his arms wrapping around her and she smiled, inhaling his reassuring scent while he kissed the crown of her head.

_MateMateMate_

“I love you Ben,”

“I love you too”

00000

Hux was in a good mood. A _very_ good mood.

He walked down the halls of Harvard with a smile on his face, the sight disturbing a number of student and staff members alike. Even smiling, the British man somehow managed to look cruel, as if he had only learned to smile by someone telling him a vague description of what it should look like.

During his time off, he had thought long and hard about what to do with the problem at hand. He wanted Ben Solo’s position in the department, there was no doubt about that, but there was no way to conceivably get him fired. Especially since Holdo was in full support of Solo and his little Omega fling.

Trying to provoke the man to attack him was an option, one he had considered when he had confronted him in his office, but it was a fleeting though.

Hux liked his face the way it was, thank you very much.

A chance meeting with an old work colleague suddenly presented him with a very interesting opportunity, one that he would have been foolish not to try and grab with both hands. It was risky, it may not have even worked, but at this stage he was willing to try anything, as was his obsession.

“Here you are,” he said politely, putting the coffee down in front of the woman opposite him

Jessika Pava had worked for Harvard a few years before deciding to take a research role at Penn State University. He knew her from working together, their classes both close in subject matter which meant that in fact, Jessika may have been the closest co-worker he had.

Making his idea all the easier to set in motion.

“Thanks Armi,” she smiled, picking up the sugar packet on the table and pouring it into her latte, “It’s so nice to finally get the chance to catch up,”

“It is! I had no idea you were coming into town for the holidays,” he said, dumping milk in his tea, “Are you staying long?”

“Only until after Christmas,” she replied, “But, I have missed the place. I do consider moving back sometimes,”

“You know who was mentioning you the other day? Ben Solo,” Hux said, conveniently dropping her ex-flings name into the conversation. Jessika’s face lit up.

“Really?” She gushed, “Oh, it’s been so long…what did he say about me?”             

Hux smiled, noticing the way her eyes danced at the mention of him. Jessika had fallen for Ben hard when they had been working together, the dark-haired woman always seemingly more attached than he had been, and it seemed as if that connection was still there.

On her end at least.

“He just mentioned how much he missed you, how he wished you were still around,” Hux continued innocuously, “I get the impression that he’s still interested in you, you know. I remember how you two were!”

Jessika blushed at her friend, her fingers playing with the handle of her coffee mug.

“Do you…do you think I should try and meet up with him?” She asked shyly, “I won’t lie Armi, I’ve missed Ben the most…I never wanted things to end with us,”

Hux reached over the table, placing a comforting hand on Jessika’s arm, his face a mask of mock sympathy and understanding.

“I think if you really feel like that then a big gesture is what’s going to cut it,” he pressed, “You know our Ben, subtle doesn’t work on an Alpha like him. I think you should surprise him, the first day back after the holidays! Go to his office and _show_ him how much you’ve missed him!”

Jessika gasped with a giddy smile on her face.

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?!”

“It’s a great idea Jess!” Hux grinned, “In fact, I even know the best time to catch him. Monday at 1pm is when he’ll be free, you’ll have lots of time to chat…among other things,” he finished with a wink, giggling along with the girl and they continued to talk of their plan for the remainder of the afternoon

Perhaps he should have felt worse than he did about manipulating Jessika like that, but life had taught him that to get what you wanted, sometimes you had to step over a few people on the way. If some hearts got broken, so be it.

A student gave his grinning self a wide berth in the hall, almost walking into a door to avoid the uncharacteristically happy Professor.

Everything was set, there was just one piece left to play.

00000

“So, you and Ben have finally decided to move in together huh?” Finn said to Rey as they walked together through the quad. She smiled warmly at him, clearly pleased with her decision.

“We have,” She confirmed, “and I think it’s a good compromise. Moving in after graduation feels like the right time,”

“But you’re already practically married…” Finn said. Rey rolled her eyes.

“Why do people keep saying that?”

“Because it’s true!” He shrugged, “I’m not going to pretend I get how you’re feeling but I’ve got my own Alpha and…dudes are intense! After he saw you through your heat and you mated, I’m amazed he didn’t just throw you over his shoulder…”

“Ben isn’t like that,” Rey drawled but stopped when she saw the disbelieving eyebrow raised on Finn’s face.

“Okay…he’s a little like that,” she laughed, “But he’s quite good at controlling himself generally!”

Finn wrapped his arm around his friend as they walked, giving her a squeeze. The sky had been darkening steadily throughout the morning, thick grey clouds masking any hint of blue and thunder began to roll overhead. Rey winced looking up at the ominous looking weather.

“I don’t like the sound of that,” she muttered, “at least I’m heading inside. I have to meet Hux about my paper,”

“He still giving you guys a hard time?” Rey shook her head, wrapping Ben’s scarf closer around her neck to keep out the chill.

“You know, he’s been quiet. I don’t know if Holdo managed to put him in his place or whatever but since then, he’s not really done anything. Ben doesn’t trust him, but I’m just pleased he isn’t giving me a hard time in his boring as hell class!”

Finn checked his watch with a frown, his eyes looking between the watch face and his friend.

What time did you say you had that meeting?”

“…Shit!”

00000

Ben turned the small velvet box over in his hand again, examining the contents.

The ring inside was rose gold, the matching the locket he had given her, an oval champagne sapphire in the centre surrounded by a halo of small diamonds. Truthfully, he had been carrying the jewellery around with him since their date but even with their unusually fast relationship trajectory, even Ben could accept that proposing marriage on a first date was generally not the thing to do.

Christmas, he decided. That’s when he was going to ask her. Was it too cliché to ask her on Christmas morning? But then they were planning on going to his parent’s home again and he didn’t want to ask her in front of them. It wasn’t a moment he wanted to share with anyone but her.

Why was the thought making him so nervous? They were _mated_. Marriage was just a piece of paper when you compared how deep mating with someone was. They were going to be together the rest of their lives anyway, why not give her a sparkly finger adornment to top it all off.

There was a knock at the door of his office and he closed the box with a sharp snap, shoving it back into the drawer of his desk. He glanced at the clock on his laptop. 12:55. Technically his office hours didn’t begin for another 5 minutes but, deciding he was just being grumpy, he called for whoever was at the door to enter.

“Ben Solo!”

He straightened quickly, his eyebrows shooting to his hairline in surprise at the entrant.

“Jessika…hi!” he said, drawing out her name, his voice pitched in shock. He hadn’t seen the woman for months, and really hadn’t expected to see her again. He felt he had made his point fairly clear about where they stood, conveniently using her moving as an excuse to stop seeing each other.

He stood gracelessly from his chair, his tall body hunched in discomfort. What did he really have to say to her past asking how she was? They barely kept in contact past the single message which had vaguely indicated that they _might_ meet for a catch up some time. The kind of message you passed to someone out of politeness more than anything.

“How are you?” he asked awkwardly, “I…I didn’t know you were back in town,”

“I’m great, I’m so great!” she said beaming up at him with bright eyes, “It was a last-minute thing for the holidays. I didn’t know myself that I’d be back,”

“Oh…cool,” he muttered, “Cool,” His hands balled inelegantly at his sides, bouncing off his hips minutely in pent up, uncomfortable energy.

Why was she staring at him like that? She couldn’t possibly still be harbouring feelings for him, not after so much time apart. Betas tended to get hung up on Alphas in a very different way from Omegas. Like a strange obsession over something they could never really have.

_Jesus. Get over it Beta._

“Well…you look great!” he said, quickly paying her the polite compliment and hoping that it would relax some of the strange tension building between them. To his dismay, all it served to do was bolster her.

“Thank you!” she gushed, stepping towards him, “You look great too Ben, you always do,” she purred.

“Oh, well…thanks…”

“Ben, what happened between us?” She breathed, batting her lashes up at him from her almond shaped eyes, “I thought he had a great thing going,”

_Wow. Okay. Straight to the point._

She was inches away from him, her perfume swirling around his nose. It was nothing compared to his mate’s scent and he winced, a frown on his face.

“Jessika…” he warned, his throat going dry with the sudden sense of the dangerous situation.

“Come on Ben,” she hummed, “We can give things another try…make it work this time. I’ve _missed_ you…Haven’t you missed me?”

_Danger. DANGER._

Jesus, she was bold. Far bolder than he had ever remembered her being around him. He moved to shake his head.

“I need to tell you Jess…I’ve got a…”

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt her hand grab the back of his head, pulling him into her kiss.

00000

“Professor Hux? You wanted to see me?” Rey called, walking into his classroom where he sat with a strangely calm look on his face. A far cry from the perpetual sneer she was used to, especially around her.

“Ah yes, Miss Jackson,” he said, “I wanted to discuss your paper with you and some of the ideas you had…” he began, looking through the papers on his desk in a curiously exaggerated motion, “but I see to have accidentally sent it along with the others to Professor Solo’s office…”

“Professor Solo?” Rey questioned flatly, knowing full well that Hux was aware Ben wasn’t allowed anywhere near her work. She raised an eyebrow in question, was this part of his plan? Get Ben caught with her work? It seemed poor, even for him.

“Yes,” he said simply, “I’m aware your work isn’t to be graded by him for _reasons_ but I can’t be held responsible for one students paper accidentally being mixed in with the rest. Do me a favour, run along to his office and collect it for me? Then we can go over what we need to discuss,”

His manner was so calm it was off putting, immediately putting Rey on the defensive. He wanted her to go to Ben’s office, knowing full well the situation. Why? What did he know that she didn’t? Even though Ben had told her not to trust him, they had known each other for years, working together.

Nodding with an annoyed huff, Rey left the classroom wandering down the corridor to Ben’s office. It had only just gone one, no chance that a student was in his office yet for his open-door hours so without a second thought she turned the handle to let herself in.

The sight that met her made her freeze on the spot, the air catching in her throat, threatening to choke her. A strangled sob erupted from her throat, the world tilting on it’s axis as her blood pounded in her ears like war drums.

Ben was kissing another woman, the stranger’s hand around the back of his neck bending him down to her.

The sound of the door combined with her cry started the pair, the girl jumping back in shock. Rey’s eyes locked with his, his dark depths filled with the absolute horror of the realisation that she had seen them.

“Rey…” he exhaled, “No, no no no…it’s not what you think…”

Rey swallowed thickly and with difficulty, trying to force her throat to work but nothing would come out. She didn’t know what to do, her scent spiking as her body pumped out pheromones of panic and fear. Her eyes brimmed with tears she didn’t want to shed. The walls of his office felt like they were closing in on her, pulling all the oxygen out of the room, making her head spin as bile churned from her stomach, burning the back of her throat. His scent was overwhelming, and it only compounded the pain in her chest.

Escape. She had to escape.

Silently, her sight blurring and stinging with tears, she turned on her heel, running as fast as her legs would allow down the corridor, trying to ignore the sounds of Ben shouting her name after her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be honest, I found this chapter difficult to write. I was nervous about starting this story and some comments had put a slight dampener on my enthusiasm so I would really like to thank everyone who replied for me with support. Thank you for having my back and reminding me that this is MY story. I write this because I love it and I share it in the hopes that you love it too.
> 
> The angst continues. All aboard the pain train, it's going to be a little rough for a while. Why? Because as much as I love my babies and I love writing smut and angst, life isn't always perfect. Sometimes it's painful.
> 
> On that note...

[](https://imgur.com/ROF9WWs)

_*15 missed calls – Mailbox full*_

_Ben <Rey, please answer your phone…let me talk to you>_

_Ben <Please sweetheart, it was %100 NOT what you were thinking>_

_Ben <Rey…I need you, don’t do this please>_

_Ben <At least tell Rose or someone where you are>_

Rey wished she hadn’t run so far.

_Running out into the rain. How cliché._

The rain pelted off the sidewalk in huge, fat drops, soaking everything it came into contact with and now she was drenched, walking through a muddy forest.

Her phone had been buzzing in her pocket constantly until she had eventually elected to turn the damn thing off. She needed to think, to clear her head. What the hell had she just seen?

It couldn’t be what she thought, surely not? Not after everything they had shared, even in such a short space of time. He was her Alpha, her soulmate, he told her that he loved her.

Had it all just been their biology talking?

She stopped, looking all around her in the dull light of the forest as the rain continued to pelt through the trees. Shivering in the breeze, she sniffed, the last of her tears ebbing away. Part of her wanted to go back and hear him out, listen to his explanation and believe him, but it was another side that was holding her back. The side that was telling her everything was too good to be true.

He was older than her, maybe she wasn’t enough for him? Maybe having compatible hormones simply wasn’t enough, that he needed someone older and more experienced in the world. Rey had been told all her life that she wasn’t enough. In foster care, in school, from guys who had expected more than she was willing to give them. Thinking for even a moment that she wasn’t enough for Ben cut like a knife through her chest.

Another sob tore from her throat painfully, the ugly image of Ben and the stranger invading her mind, going further than just a kiss. Sickness in her stomach churned again and she clutched at her gut, her shirt squelching with damp from the rain.

She needed to get indoors, get dry and warm. Upset she may have been but it was the start of December and at this rate she was going to catch pneumonia if she wasn’t careful. Pulling out her phone, she turned it back on, ignoring the name she didn’t want to see and selecting someone who she could turn to. Her voice was unrecognisable to her, rough and quiet.

“Finn…I need help,”

00000

10 hours.

He hadn’t seen or heard from her in 10 hours.

He had tried to run after her, instantly regretting the wasted time he took to snarl at Jessika.

“Who was that?” she had asked, feeling herself go cold at the intensity of his steely glare.

“That was my _mate_ ” he had snapped at her, barking at her to get out of his office and never come near them again, his spiking, panicked hormones running rampant through his system taking over his rational thinking. He could feel bad about it later, write to her and explain that it was the Alpha in him going into panic mode but the only thing that mattered to him was finding Rey and sorting this mess out.

He had left countless messages, her mailbox eventually filling with him begging her to call him, to text him, even just to let him know that she was somewhere safe.

_Protect. Defend. Protect._

What the fuck had he been thinking? He had been so shocked by the sudden brashness of the girl that he hadn’t known what the hell was going on. He certainly hadn’t expected her to kiss him seconds before he was about to tell her he was mated.

If he knew she was at least safe it might have helped ease the tension running through his body, the pressure behind his eyes. Even as he told Holdo he had to leave suddenly, and could someone cover his class, he could feel his voice deepening, his Alpha roots kicking in.

He lifted his cuff to his face, trying to inhale her scent. It didn’t help, if anything, it made him want to howl in frustration, being able to scent her but not knowing where she was. He hoped she had at least had the sense to call Rose or something.

This was no coincidence. Jessika turning up and throwing herself at him, Rey happening to walk in at the same time she was meant to have a meeting with Hux?

Hux.

He staggered to his bathroom, running the cold tap and splashing the icy water over his skin. He was too hot, burning up from the inside. The longer he was away from her soothing presence and her calming scent, the worse he knew his agitation was going to become.

_Calm. Calm down._

He glowered at his reflection in the mirror, his mind tumbling through his thoughts piecing it all together. His neck was flushed, his scent glands itching, nipping, and dark circles were already beginning to appear under his eyes. While his initial studies on mated Alphas and their behaviour may have been off the mark concerning how they acted around their Omegas, his knowledge on what happened to Alpha’s when they were separated for long periods of time was seemingly right on the mark.

_Shit._

Hux. Hux was to blame for this somehow. He didn’t know the details, and, in that moment, he couldn’t care. His first priority was finding his mate and straightening everything out, proving to her that he was _her_ Alpha.

Then he would deal with Hux.

00000

“Jesus Rey,” Finn cried, opening his front door to her, taking in her drowned form, “Get in here! Did you… _walk_ here?!”

Finn rented a house in the Winterhill area of Somerville. It was a little further out than Harvard Law where he studied but he had always maintained he got more for his money living further away from the campus.

 “If you’d told me you were going to walk in this weather, I would have come to pick you up!” Finn scolded, Rey dripping all over his hallway floor. She shrugged hopelessly, her bottom lip quivering as she began to sob.

“Come here peanut,” Finn said gently, pulling her into a hug. She was getting him just as cold and wet as she was, but he could always change his clothes. His friend was more important. “Shh, it’s okay…everything is going to be okay…”

“I…I don’t know what to do Finn,” She sobbed, “I’ve made it so much worse!” He stroked her back gently, letting her cry.

“Why don’t we get you warm and dry first, then you can tell us all about it, huh?” He said calmly, “Poe and Rose are on their way. I promise, we’ll figure it all out okay?”

She sniffed, nodding as she shivered, allowing herself to be lead towards the master bathroom of the house. Finn began running her a hot bath, bringing her fresh towels and some of his clothes.

“I’ve sent Rose a message asking her to bring you something a little more appropriate to wear but at least these are dry for now,” He said, “Get into that water. Get warm!”

She smiled gratefully, the sensation of using the muscles strange after crying for so long. She didn’t even realise how much her face was hurting. After she was left alone, she stripped off her soaking wet clothes, depositing them in his hamper, then sank into the steaming hot water, the relief on her skin instantaneous.

She frowned, alone with her thoughts in the silence of the room. The forest had the clapping of thunder, the hammering of the rain around her but here, there was only the gentle lapping of the water in the tub as she moved.

Her locket was still around her neck and she traced it absently, staring at the ceiling, her hand drifting to the imprint of his teeth. She felt the raised skin, still sensitive to touch, remembering the feeling of his bite, how it had set her senses on fire and soothed her all at once.

She missed him. It was like every cell in her body was screaming for his scent, not understanding why her mate had disappeared. An urge almost impossible resist wanted her to find a dark place and surround herself with him, hiding away from the world. Nesting. Her instincts wanted her to nest until he could find her.

_You’ll want to nest…I might murder a pizza guy._

She snorted, remembering his words, despite the ache in her heart, and suddenly she wondered how he was doing without her. She was still upset, but they had been apart for far longer than they had ever been since her heat, since they were mated, and she wondered if he was suffering.

She didn’t want him to suffer.

When the water around her had dropped in temperature enough that she decided it was best to get out of the tub, drying her body on Finn’s fluffy towels and pulling on the clean basketball shorts and hoody he had given her. She sighed at her reflection, looking at good as she felt. At least she was warm and dry.

Wandering through to his living room, she was greeted by Rose who immediately grabbed her in a fierce bearhug.

“Tell me everything!” she demanded fiercely, “Tell me everything and then I’m going to go to his door and kick his ass!”

Rey laughed despite how she felt, the idea of her tiny friend trying to beat up Ben Solo was too funny not to laugh at. Poe was standing at the coffee table in the centre of the room, opening the pizza boxes they had brought with them. Rey’s stomach growled loudly, her body recognising the delicious smells and reminding her she hadn’t eaten.

“Sweetie tell us what happened?” Rose said carefully, sitting Rey down in between her and Finn as Poe continued to organise the food.

“I…I had to go to Ben’s office for something,” she said shakily, “And I saw him…with…some girl and he…”

“He…what?”

“He was _kissing_ her!” she finished in a guttural sob, her tears beginning all over again at the memory.

While Finn and Rose both looked horrified, immediately pulling Rey into a joint hug, muttering what a bastard he was and how could he do that, Poe paused what he was doing frowning in confusion.

“Ben…your Ben?” He questioned, “Alpha Ben…your mate Ben?”

“We’ve established that his name is Ben!” Rose snapped, scowling at him, “You don’t need to keep repeating it,”

“No, I’m just…Rey, are you sure that’s what happened?” Poe questioned.

“Of course, she’s sure!” Finn said, “She saw it with her own eyes,” Poe grunted in frustration.

“That’s not what I mean,” he said, “I know that’s what you saw but…Rey, I’m sorry but he’s quite possibly the most whipped Alpha I’ve ever seen! You guys are…there’s no way that’s possible…”

“What are you talking about?” Rose asked, handing Rey a box of tissues and stroking her back. Poe carded his hand through his hair, trying to find the most delicate way to put things. He didn’t want to upset anyone more than they already were.

“Listen…I don’t know how to put this, but you guys are mated…and like, more mated than I’ve ever seen an Alpha and an Omega. He just _wouldn’t_ do that…he _couldn’t_. Physically couldn’t…not knowingly…”

“Some people are more than their biology, Poe…” Rose snipped, rolling her eyes. Poe scowled but Rey said nothing, wiping her damp eyes with the tissue.

“Listen, I need to run out and…do something okay?” Poe said, “I won’t be too long,”

“Where are you going?” Finn asked in confusion, “It’s almost 11pm!”

“I forgot something at the store”

Finn shrugged, turning his attention back to his heartbroken friend while Poe grabbed his jacket and car keys.

00000

By the time Poe arrived outside the apartment he was looking for, the glare of the streetlights were shining against the shimmer of the soaking wet pavements. The rain was still coming down as hard as ever and Poe groaned as a cold drop fell down the back of his jacket.

He made it to the door he was looking for, having only visited once before, knocking sharply.

“Ben,” he called, “I know you’re in there…”

The door opened to reveal a ransacked apartment, the coffee table flipped, books and papers scattered everywhere, glasses and plates smashed. Ben was standing in front of him, leaning on the door frame, his breathing laboured, and his eyes glazed.

“Where’s Rey?” he growled, his voice falling somewhere between a demand and a plea. Poe regarded him sadly.

“Damn buddy,” he whistled, “Those hormones are fucking you up big style. I take it this redecoration is your handywork?”

“I am not in the fucking mood!” Ben spat, and Poe held his hands up.

“Listen, I’m here to help you big guy, okay?” He said carefully, fully aware that the man in front of him was volatile, “Rey is safe, she’s at Finn’s with Rose…”

“Then why are you here?!” he asked accusingly. Poe sighed.

“Because Rey has Finn and Rose and they’re Betas. You don’t have anyone and I’m the only person who probably understands how you’re feeling right now, what your body is putting you through!”

Ben stopped, the suspicion slowly leaving his dark eyes.

“I…I just…Poe, I don’t know what to do. I fucked up!” He choked, falling back to collapse on the sofa, cradling his throbbing head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, “and now…I just…I feel so lost…so fucking helpless and angry and…and…”

Poe sat down next to him, patting him on the back trying to offer some kind of comfort. He knew it wouldn’t work, he was too far gone. His skin was scalding through his shirt, every muscle in his back solid, like a predator ready to pounce at any moment.

“Look, you didn’t fuck up…technically,” Poe said, “You didn’t instigate it…”

“I _would never_ …”

“I _know_ that. Believe me, I know how it feels to have your entire being suddenly shift to revolve around one person. To feel like it’s them anchoring you to the earth,” He said sadly, “It’s exciting and terrifying and your pheromones will _not_ let you forget it…and since you guys are fully compatible or whatever, I can only imagine it’s worse,”

Ben lifted his head to peer at the man next to him. It was kind of him to check in, but his partner was a Beta, how the hell would he know what it felt like?

“How?” Ben asked, “Finn is…”

“I’m not talking about Finn,” Poe said quietly, “I had a mate…before I met Finn I mean,”

“You _had_ a mate?”

“Yeah…had. Remember when I told you Rey wasn’t my type? Bad news is that was just to calm your jets a little. I’m actually bisexual,”

“Oh…”

“Anyway, I had a mate,” he continued, his voice softening, “Her name was Paige. I still remember the first time I ever met her, I literally ran into her outside and spilled coffee all over us both…man, she was so pissed! But it was like…getting smashed in the chest with a sledgehammer. I loved her so fucking much,”

“Can I ask…what happened?”

Did she leave him? Mated pairs didn’t leave one another, it was impossible. Mated for life.

“She died,”

Poe observed his reaction carefully. Ben blinked at him, his brow furrowing in thought as he comprehended what Poe had just told him. He opened his mouth to speak but suddenly found that he didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t begin to imagine what that felt like, losing your mate.

“Shit,” he breathed, “I…Poe I’m so sorry,”

The smaller man inhaled sharply through his nose, rubbing his hands over his face in composing himself. It was a painful subject that he didn’t speak about often, even with Finn.

“It’s…it’s okay,” he said, “The point I’m trying to make is that I get it. I get how it can feel like every cell in your body is tearing itself apart because they aren’t there…the only difference here, is that you can get your Omega back. Rey will come around, you’ll see,”

Ben’s cell phone had been abandoned to the floor in his fits of frustrated rage. It was lying near one of the fallen dining chairs, buzzing suddenly as the screen lit up. Poe pushed himself from the sofa, wandering over to the abandoned device, grinning as he picked it up to show Ben the screen.

_*Rey Jackson calling…*_

00000

“So, take us through it again,” Rose said, “From the beginning this time…don’t leave _anything_ out. There has to be something we’ve missed here,”

Rey was shattered, it was almost midnight and she felt like she had been awake forever. The combination of crying and having spent hours in the freezing cold had worn her down and all she wanted to do was sleep. The frustrating part was that she _couldn’t_ sleep without Ben there. Deep rooted, Omega instincts were telling her that without her Alpha there for protection, it wasn’t a good idea.

Apparently nesting meant she wanted to curl up in a ball but remain wide awake. It was the strangest contradiction and had she been in her right mind, she would have recorded it for her studies.

“Alright…I went to his office…” she sighed, but Rose suddenly stopped her.

“What were you doing before you went to his office?” she said, “That might actually be important!”

“I don’t see how…”

“Wait,” Finn said, realisation dawning on his face, “Weren’t you going to a meeting with Hux?”

“Oh. My. God!” Rose gasped, “Hux? Did he say something…what did he do?”

Rey sat back onto the cushions of Finn’s sofa, tipping her head back to look at the ceiling as she thought back, a frown settling on her face.

Hux.

She had been so upset and preoccupied with Ben that it had slipped her mind that Professor Hux had been the one to instruct her to go to the office in the first place.

“Hux told me to go to his office…” she whispered to herself. Both Rose and Finn leaned towards her, unsure what they had just heard. Her frown expanded into an angry glower.

“Hux _told me_ to go to Ben’s office,” Rey bit out, the words like acid on her tongue, jumping up and pacing the floor as the pace of her words quickened, like she was piecing a puzzle together in her head, “He knew that Ben would be there…he _wanted me_ to see that…”

“Do you think that girl had something planned with Hux? Like…a set up?” Rose said ominously, “I know Hux is an asshole but who would be that fucking… _twisted?!_ ”

Rey laughed bitterly, grabbing at her hair in frustration.

“Hux would,” she droned, “Oh my God…I’ve been such a fucking idiot…” She began to whirl around, scanning the room frantically. “Phone! Where is my phone, I have to speak to Ben…I have to tell him that I’m sorry!”

Rose and Finn both beamed madly at her, a great deal of relief filling the room as Finn handed Rey her phone. Her hands shook as she unlocked the screen, pressing the notification for one of his many missed calls.

_Please Ben. Please pick up your phone._

“Rey?”

The sound of his voice was like a balm over her aching soul, her whole body responding to him and a relieved sob escaped her lips, her hand covering her mouth to try and stifle the sudden sound.

“Ben!” she cried, “Ben…I’m so sorry, I messed everything up…I should have stayed…I…”

She floundered, at a loss for words. She was sorry she hadn’t stayed to hear an explanation, that she had made him worry, that she had automatically believed the worst. That she missed him more than she thought possible and her body was going mad without his scent there. His breathing was harsh down the phone and she knew he was having as hard a time with their separation as she was.

She paced the space between the coffee table and the sofa, Finn and Rose hugging their feet to give her the space, but she paid them no mind, her whole focus on the voice of the man on the other end of the phone.

“Shh,” he crooned, “It’s okay…we’re going to fix this alright, I promise. Rey, I didn’t…I could never do that. You have to believe me!”

“I do,” she breathed, “I do believe you...are you home?”

“Yeah, I’m home…it’s, ah…a bit of a mess though,” he sighed, “I’ve not been handling things well,”

Rey shook her head, wiping the tears from her cheek with determination.

“I don’t care. I need to see you. Sit tight, I’m coming home!” She heard him breath a sigh of relief.

“I love you Rey, I love you _so fucking much,_ ” he said, his words like a vow she hadn’t known she needed to hear. She grinned radiantly, her chest fit to burst.

_MateMateMate_

“I love you Ben. I’m on my way,”

When she hung up the phone, Finn was already in front of her dressed and with his car keys in his hands.

00000

Rose had elected to hang back at Finn’s for Poe coming home while Rey had quickly changed into the spare clothes her friend had brought with her. Although she was certain Ben wouldn’t care one bit what she was wearing when she arrived.

It was well after midnight by the time they had set off, the dark road between Winterhill and Cambridge slick with water. Large, dark reflective pools dabbled all over the road as the rain continued to fall.

“Jesus will this weather ever let up?” Finn muttered. The wipers of his windshield fluttered furiously to try and get rid of the excess water, his visibility reduced.

“And here I thought it would have cleared now my mood is better,” Rey jibed, “Earlier it seemed like it was falling for me,” Finn smirked.

“How very Edgar Allen Poe of you!” He chuckled. Rey smiled sadly.

“I can’t believe I was such a moron. Do you think he’s going to forgive me?” Finn nodded, squinting at the road.

“Oh yeah!” Finn barked a laugh, “Ben would let you away with murder, hell, he’d help you hide the body,”

“If he get’s his hands on Hux that might be what just happens,” She said sardonically.

“Oh FUCK!”

Rey turned her head from looking towards her friend back to the front of the car just in time to see a set of headlights through the dense rain, the car on the opposite side of the road smashing head first into Finn’s, sending the vehicle skidding into the dark intersection.

The last thing Rey saw was a set of lights as something smashed into the passenger side of the back of Finn’s car.

The last thing she thought of was Ben, and how he was waiting for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....Sorry.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man guys, you come here looking for smut and fluff and as the story progresses I've hit you with plot and a serious pain train out of left field! I'm writing this more as an ABO love story...with smut. I hope you guys can understand the evolution that I'm going for in this relationship. What starts as one thing can and will grow into more.
> 
> Thanks for all the lovely comments, I know i'm being cruel to our babies but know this, I DO have a happy ending policy!
> 
> Hang in there and grab your tissues Reylos!
> 
> *TRIGGER WARNING - PLEASE READ THE TAGS*

[](https://imgur.com/JnlsYoJ)

Poe received the call first.

He had decided to wait at Ben’s place for Finn and Rey to arrive, helping the other Alpha try and tidy his riot of an apartment. They had just been finished putting the dining set by the bay window back in place when his phone had rung.

Ben watched on during the call as Poe’s face contorted and changed, reacting to the news he was being given. Curiosity, confusion, horror, panic. He hung up the phone, blinking quickly as he tried to coherently articulate what he needed to say.

Ben had lost it when Poe had finally told him. Poe could see the outright terror set into his eyes, his pupils shrinking to a pinpoint, his whole body vibrating painfully with the tension. In the end, Poe had to wrestle his car keys from his hand, insisting that the man wasn’t in a fit state to drive.

Poe drove as fast as he could while still being careful, Ben sitting next to him in the passenger’s side with a low, frustrated growl emanating from deep in his chest while he had his fist firmly between his teeth to keep from screaming. The car had barely stopped outside CHA Cambridge Hospital when Ben was opening the door, sprinting into the building.

The nurse manning the reception desk of the ER jumped in fright Ben’s sudden appearance.

“Rey Jackson,” he managed to pant between ragged breaths, “She was brought in here!”

The woman stared at him in wide eyed fright, seemingly unable to answer which only added to his frustration, his eye twitching while he ground his teeth. Poe caught up with him, appearing by his side and pushing him back slightly.

“What my friend is trying to say,” he explained, his manner a little calmer than Ben’s but still no less urgent, “Is that our partners were involved in a car accident and they’ve just been brought here. We need to see them! Rey Jackson and Finn Storm?”

The woman nodded nervously, typing on her computer and bringing up the ward their respective partners had been taken to. Her eyes flicked to Ben, taking in his appearance.

“Excuse me Sir, but are you alright?” Ben didn’t acknowledge her question, but Poe did.

“He’s an Alpha. It was his Omega mate that was in the car,” Poe answered touchily. Christ, what were they teaching these nurses if they couldn’t recognise a restless Alpha?

They arrived at the ward specified just as Rey was being wheeled on a gurney.

“Rey? Rey?!” Ben cried, rushing to her side in hysteria, grabbing her limp hand with his own trembling fingers, his heart palpitating in his chest wildly.

So pale, a deep laceration at her hairline spilling blood down the side of her face contrasting sickly with the pallor of her complexion.

“Come on sweetheart, wake up…” he begged through unchecked tears, “Please wake up…please be okay…Don’t do this to me…”

The EMT who had been moving Rey through the ward gently tried to push him back, Ben growling at him savagely.

“Sir, we need to get her to emergency surgery!” the man insisted, “You need to let go of her hand…”

“Come on, Ben,” Poe said, holding the larger man around the back to pull him away, “You need to let them do their jobs, okay?”

“She…she’s not moving…” Ben faltered, “Her hand is so cold…”

“I know buddy,” Poe said quietly, his grip still painfully tight around the man’s body, knowing that if he let him go, Ben would barrel down the corridor, “Come on, I need to find Finn,”

While the first car had hit the front of Finn’s vehicle, the second impact that had done most of the damage had hit the rear passengers side, the result being that Finn had taken the least of the impact.

“Thank fuck!” Poe wept in relief, grabbing his boyfriend and pulling him as close to him as he could, “I was so worried about you,” Finn smiled at him in reassurance, but his eyes continued to look a little glassy from the concussion he had received. Past that, he had been lucky to escape with only a broken wrist and some whiplash.

“It’s okay baby, I’m okay,” Finn allayed, “But…what about Rey? I haven’t seen her since we were brought in,”

Finn followed Poe’s line of sight to the waiting area where Ben was pacing back and forth, his hands-on top of his head, every so often coming down to his neck to try and stretch away the tension. Poe could practically see some of the veins under his skin, his pulse point beating wildly with fear as his scent spiked.

“Jesus…is Ben going to be okay?” Finn asked cautiously. Poe could only offer a helpless shrug.

“Wounded mate, even without that separation anxiety, it’s never good…and he’s suffering more than most,” Poe sighed, “The only good news is that his scent is so heightened that no Alpha for miles will want to come near him...if they know what’s good for them!”

Finn was moved to a private room on the same floor, the doctor insisting that he was given some time to rest. After assuring Poe that he would be fine, and he just wanted to sleep (as much as he was allowed to with a concussion) Poe joined Ben in a small waiting room, finding that Rose had arrived ten minutes earlier, her face streamed with dried in tears and smudged make-up.

“What’s going on?” She asked as Poe walked in, “is there any news?” He shook his head.

“Nothing yet,” he replied, “She’s still in surgery,”

Ben pushed himself up from the uncomfortable plastic chair again to resume his impatient pacing of the small room. He couldn’t sit still. Every time he did the tension built up in his muscles until he was compelled to move. Clenching and unclenching his fists by his side as he walked back and forth.

He could feel their eyes on him. Rose and Poe, at least somewhat grateful that Poe understood how he was feeling. Physically as well as emotionally. He felt like his skin was too tight for his body, heat prickling behind his eyes. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to scream and sob or if he wanted to tear someone’s throat out.

He stopped abruptly in his pacing, the haze in his one-track mind clearing for just a moment. He did want to tear someone’s throat out. He knew exactly who. His jaw worked, throat bobbing with the effort it took to swallow back a growl.

If Rey hadn’t been at Finn’s home, they wouldn’t have been in the car. They wouldn’t have been on the road to get hit at all, and the only reason Rey had gone to Finn’s was because of what she had seen earlier that day, that awful misunderstanding.

The misunderstanding that never would have happened if it wasn’t for Armitage Hux.

For the briefest of moments, Ben wondered if he was grasping at straws, if the link was too tenuous but he was already apoplectic at the man and he needed somewhere to filter his ever-growing animosity before it erupted at the wrong person.

 What if she…no, he couldn’t think like that. He _wouldn’t_. Rey was going to be fine. She was going to wake up, they were going to live together, they were going to be married and he was going to spend every day protecting her and treating her the way an Alpha should.

Because hell mend Hux if she didn’t wake.

Hours later, the hospital having grown eerily quiet in the small hours of the following day, a doctor finally entered their waiting area. He was a small, Mexican man with floppy dark hair and a goatee, still dressed in his scrubs and cap from surgery.

Poe and Rose jumped from their seats, Ben already standing, hastening to the man to hear what he had to say. The doctor glanced at him and nodded.

“You must be her mate then,” He commented, looking Ben over and evaluating his condition, “I’m Doctor Andor, I was leading surgery on Rey,”

Ben felt his gut twisting painfully, waiting for what the doctor had to tell him. There was something there that didn’t sit well with him, a cold pit of dread forming in his stomach. He clenched his jaw, crossing his arms tightly.

“And?”

“There was a lot of internal trauma from the impact as well as some broken ribs, but we were able to stop the bleeding and her vitals are looking strong all things considered and we expect that she’ll wake on her own soon…”

Ben should have been elated, he should have felt relief course through his veins at the news that his mate was going to be fine, that she was going to open her eyes but Doctor Andor wasn’t finished and the watchful look on his face suggested that his next words wouldn’t be quite so positive.

“Rey _did_ lose a lot of blood in the accident. I’m so sorry to have to tell you that she suffered a miscarriage. I’m afraid she lost the baby,”

_Miscarriage._

_Baby._

_Lost._

All sound around him muffled into nothing but white noise. He couldn’t breathe, air refusing to move through his body as his chest constricted painfully, like a vice was wrapping around his heart. He wheezed painfully, staggering backwards with Poe’s help until his knees hit the chair, falling into the seat, his burring vision still training on the floor.

“Woah, easy…I’ve got you!”

“Oh God,” Rose sobbed, “Did…did you know?”

Ben shook his head mutely. How was this even possible?

“But…she…Rey had a birth control shot?” Ben rasped, “How…”

“Alpha Omega physiology. Sometimes standard contraception injections aren’t strong enough,” Doctor Andor said sadly, “It happens more often than you would imagine,”

He vaguely heard the doctor say that, once again, he was sorry, and that Ben could go and see her when he was ready.

 “Come on buddy,” Poe said carefully, feeling the tension in the air and the turbulence in Ben’s scent, “I need you to breathe and hold it together for me…Rey needs you to hold it together,”

Rey, his mate, his Omega who had almost been killed in a car accident, the same accident that had taken their unborn child from them. Had she known? She didn’t deserve this. His beautiful girl with the bright smile and intelligent, witty mind didn’t deserve to be lying in a hospital bed. Worst still, she wouldn’t know of their loss yet.

What had happened to them? How had things becoming so complicated and intense? Morphing from a couple of idiots who loved each other to something far more…dramatic.

Like a rubber band pulled too tightly, something inside him snapped and he howled in rage and devastation, a noise so violent that Rose covered her ears. Rushing up and past Poe to swing his fist at something, anything. The vending machine was the closest target available, his knuckles splitting and bleeding as he cracked the hard surface again and again.

The pain in his hand wasn’t enough to take away from the ache in his head and chest and he slowed, dropping to his knees as he keened, howling like a feral wolf in grief, sobs wracking his large frame.

Poe and Rose stood back, giving him the space he needed until he could compose himself. He felt hands on his shoulders, hauling him into a seat and a bottle of water being shoved into his hand. Someone was ordering him to drink. He did, the cold liquid tempering the burn in his throat.

“Go and see her”

00000

Weren’t Alphas supposed to be the brave ones?

Wasn’t it Alphas who were the biggest, the strongest, the most intelligent? They were supposed to protect their mates, bare their teeth at anything who threatened them. As he walked zombified towards her room all Ben could think about was how he had failed to protect her.

The door to her room creaked open and closed it quietly behind him, staring at his mate on the bed. She had been cleaned up now and dressed in a white hospital gown, all traces of blood removed from her face and the large gash washed and glued.

Her face was peaceful, he noticed, as if she was simply sleeping. He knew better. He knew how she looked when she slept, when she would sigh in contentment and shuffle closer to his body, or when she would be so relaxed her mouth would hang open ever so slightly. He would brush her hair out of her face and smile at her with loving amusement as she drooled a little on the pillow.

The room was so sterile, the smells all attacking his nose. Whatever they had used on her made her scent different, unnatural, but it was still her. She was still there like the sun waiting to rise after a rainfall.

He looked down at her, taking the seat next to her bed, holding her hand, so small and cold in his large palms.

“I hope you can hear me,” he said, “I love you so much. I’m so sorry…for everything, for letting Hux get to you, for what you saw, for…our…” he choked back a sob, pressing a wet kiss to the back of her hand.

“Please Rey, please wake up and tell me that we’re going to be okay?” he begged, “I’m going to take such good care of you, I promise, from now on I’m going to be the Alpha that you _need_ , that you deserve,”

He bent forward pressing a kiss to her still lips, resting his forehead on hers with eyes closed tightly, his tears dripping to her face.

“Just please…come back to me,”

00000

“Armitage, can I have a word?”

Professor Hux looked up from placing his travel mug on the desk of his office with a conciliatory smile. He had just arrived on campus, it wasn’t even 9am, and he wasn’t sure why Holdo would already be needing to speak to him.

He at least wanted to enjoy his morning coffee first.

“Sure Amilyn,” He drawled, “What can I do for you?”

She stepped into the room, her face serious and he realised this was not going to be a social call.

“It’s against my better judgement but I don’t really have a choice,” she sighed, “I’m going to need you to take over Ben Solo’s classes for a while,”

To his credit, while Hux wanted to break into a wild, triumphant smile, he kept his face passive, only raising his eyebrows and nodding.

“Well, sure…is he ill?” He enquired politely. He knew what was wrong with Ben, he just wanted to see what excuse the man had given for taking time off so close to mid-term prep.

Holdo gave him a pained expression, something akin to heartbreak he realised. Calm down, he thought, it’s only a lover’s tiff.

“This has to go _no_ further, but you should know, I’ll be letting the other members of staff know as well…”

Other members of staff? Why would they need to know?

“I received a call this morning from Rose Tico. Rey Jackson, who as you know is Ben’s mate, was in a car accident last night…and…she suffered a miscarriage. She lost their baby,”

Hux froze, paling, his mouth flapping uselessly as his mind scrambled to find something to say. Anything. She was pregnant?

“Oh…oh God…” Hux stuttered, his throat growing thick with tension. His head began to pound.

“I know,” Holdo sighed, distraught, “Oh, I just can’t imagine what they’re going through…Ben must be beside himself! Almost losing his soulmate and then to find out they lost a baby before they even knew…I can’t imagine…”

“Right…yes, it’s… _horrible_ ,” Hux breathed unsteadily.

“So, please, if you could cover his classes until he’s ready to return to work,” Holdo asked, “I know you have your own and I’m obviously happy to assist in any way,”

She left him alone in his office, his knees suddenly feeling weak and he gripped the edge of his desk for support. Had he done this? Not directly, he hadn’t driven the car but…

He stumbled to the drinks decanter he kept in the corner. An ostentatious crystal thing with expensive scotch, grabbing a class with shaking hands and pouring himself a large drink.

He wasn’t a good man, he had come to terms with that years ago on his climb. Throwing plenty of people under the bus in pursuit of awards and accolades that he couldn’t earn on his own.

For the first time, in so many years, Armitage Hux felt the sharp rendering of unbearable guilt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...SORRYSORRYSORRYSORRYSORRY


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you look at that, I DID have time to get chapter 16 out before my final!
> 
> I'm so glad everyone has been on board the pain train. A little angst makes the fluff all that more sweet <3 We're starting to wrap things up although I have a few more chapters planned!
> 
> Enjoy my filth!merchant babies!

[](https://imgur.com/roDg66S)

_Coffee_

_Dark Chocolate_

_Cinnamon_

_Ginger_

_Mate_

The first thing Rey was aware of was Ben’s scent. It filled her lungs, bringing an immediate sense of calm to the panic she felt as she slowly crept into consciousness.

The second thing Rey was aware of was pain. Her whole body hurt. Around her hips and lower torso ached, her ribs stinging and burning, her pulse sounding in her head. What had happened to her?

Oh…

Car crash.

She had been on her way back to Ben when Finn’s car had collided with someone coming the opposite direction, sending them into a junction. It was coming back to her.

Experimentally, she tried to move her fingers, only to find that her left hand wasn’t moving as freely as the right. Her fingers were weighed down, locked in place with…another hand? She tried to wiggle her fingers again.

“Rey?”

That voice. The deep, velvet voice that she new so well was calling her name. It sounded worried. No, more than worried. It sounded distressed, exhausted, agitated.

“Come on sweetheart,” the voice pleaded, “Please open your eyes…come back to me,”

Eyes? Right. The more lucid she became, she realised that while she could feel and smell and hear, she was still essentially floating in darkness. Her lids felt heavy, forcing them to comply with her wishes.

Everything was a bright blur of white and random coloured splodges that began to come into focus. The wall ahead of her was fairly plain, a wooden door off to the side and a television on a bracket in the far corner. A machine was beeping to her right-hand side and everything except his scent was sterile. Hospital. She was definitely in a hospital.

“Rey, can you hear me?”

With effort, she turned her head to the left, the same direction her fingers seemed to be trapped in. His face was instantly familiar, a dazzling smile that crinkled his tearing brown eyes showing his relief. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and she smiled ever so slightly, the corners of her lips lifting.

_MateMateMate_

“Hi,” she breathed quietly, her voice small and fatigued.

Ben exhaled a huff of a laugh in relief and wonder, picking up her hand and pressing a kiss to the back.

“You’re here,” she whispered, squeezing his hand with all the strength she could muster, which wasn’t much at all. He reached out and smoothed her hair, delighting in the touch.

“I was always here,” he said softly.

And she had run away from him. Tears pricked her eyes.

“Ben…I’m so sorry…I…”

He quickly shook his head, looking over her in concern and stroking her cheek to try keep her quiet.

“No, don’t…you have _nothing_ to be sorry for!” he promised, “It doesn’t matter now…I’m here, you’re going to be okay,”

She nodded slowly, taking in what he had said when a sudden flash came to her mind. She hadn’t been alone in the car. She tried to sit up quickly, wincing when her body protested loudly and instantly Ben was off his chair, trying to support her.

“Careful!”

“Finn,” she choked, “Oh God, what happened to Finn, is he okay?”

“He’s okay, I promise. Broken wrist and a concussion but other than that, he’s absolutely fine. You don’t need to worry,” he promised, “I think we need to get a doctor in here, check you’re alright,”

She sighed and nodded, her body relaxing back against him as he sat next to her on the bed. She hated feeling so helpless but after everything, his Alpha scent was telling her to let him take care of her and his body felt wonderful to lean against. Warm and solid and safe.

He moved to press the call button at the side of her bed and moments later Doctor Andor appeared at the door.

“Rey, good to see you finally awake,” he said with a kind smile, “I’m Doctor Andor, I was your surgeon,”

“Surgeon?!” the man nodded.

“What do you remember before the accident?”

Her eyes focused on a random spot on the wall as she thought back. Calling Ben. Telling him she loved him and how sorry she was for making the situation worse, for not staying to listen to him. Getting in the car with Finn. The Rain. Headlights.

“I was in the car with my friend, it was raining heavily, and another car hit us,” she said carefully, watching the man scribble on his clipboard, “It…spun us into a junction where someone smashed into the back of the car…”

“Your memory seems to be fine, that’s good,” the doctor said, satisfied, “You had some internal haemorrhaging from the impact and you have some broken ribs. You’re going to be sore for a while, but we can give you something for the pain,”

“Okay…” she said. At least now she knew why her whole body felt like it was made of shattered glass.

Doctor Andor’s eyes flicked to Ben, who nodded in an almost imperceptible way, like the other man was asking permission from him to carry on. Rey frowned in confusion at the silent conversation, her head turning to look between the two.

“What?”

“Miss Jackson, I’m afraid I have more to tell you,” The Doctor continued, “As I mentioned, during surgery you lost a lot of blood and we had to transfusion. I’m so sorry to tell you, your body suffered a miscarriage,”

_Miscarriage_

Rey blinked at the man in front of her, a beat passing between them and she suddenly snorted derivatively. If this was the man’s idea of a joke, then it wasn’t funny.

But he wasn’t smiling.

“What? No…no that’s impossible because I wasn’t…I’m not…” she floundered, turning to look at Ben, expecting, hoping for the same incredulous look on his face.

But he wasn’t smiling either. His jaw was clenched, his throat bobbing with the effort of swallowing back tears and all she found was heartbreak. Pure, unadulterated devastation.

“Ben?” her voice was a whisper, begging him to tell her it wasn’t true. It was just a terrible prank that someone cruel was playing on them and any second now, someone was going to jump out and yell ‘just kidding’ and they wouldn’t laugh because who the hell would joke about something so awful.

“I’m so sorry Rey,” he said thickly, fresh tears spilling over his lashes, “I’m sorry,”

She looked between the men in confusion. Laugh. Someone start laughing. It’s a joke, it had to be.

“No…no, no, no,” she choked, a pressure in her chest giving way and a strangled sob bursting from her.

“I’ll give you two some privacy,” Doctor Andor said quietly, respectfully leaving her room and closing the door behind him.

His arms held her as tightly as he could without hurting her against his chest as she sobbed, his heart breaking all over again with every painful jolt of her body. Her hands bunched in his shirt, gripping onto him like he was her lifeline to the world, the only thing keeping her in place.

“Ben…I didn’t know…I didn’t know…” she cried breathlessly, swallowing for air in huge gulps. All he could do was kiss her head desperately, stroking her hair, rocking her gently.

“I know, I know you didn’t…everything is going to be okay,” he promised, “I’ve got you now, I’m going to take care of you,”

She stared up at him with wide imploring eyes, bloodshot and swimming with tears.

“Oh my God, did I kill our baby?” she asked him, “Was this my fault?”

The questioned threatened to render him in two. How could she possibly imagine that this was her fault?

“No!” he said, fiercely holding her eyes, pleading with her to believe every word he was saying, “You have done _nothing_ wrong! This was nothing, but a tragic accident and you have nothing to be sorry for, please believe me Rey okay? I don’t hold you responsible!”

She nodded weakly, falling back against his chest and giving in to the sob that bubbled from her chest. All he could do was hold her, crying quietly alongside her. He had to be her strength now, her Alpha.

How long she had cried for, he wasn’t sure. Eventually she stilled against him, the pair sitting on the bed in silence as he held her, agonizing, white hot pain having ebbed to a deep sense of sadness and loss.

“This is so…how can I be so upset over something I didn’t know I had?” She said weakly, a humourless huff of disbelief against his chest. He nuzzled softly against her head, his glands working to scent anything he could find.

_Protect. Defend. Protect._

“It’s not stupid,” he said quietly, his voice a little clearer, “You’re allowed to feel whatever you feel, there’s no right way to deal with this…”

“We were going to be parents,”

He hated how small her voice sounded, so far away and wistful. He wondered what their baby would have looked like, a vision of a child with dark curled hair and brown eyes sitting on Rey’s lap as she read to them, or on his shoulders as they walked through the park. Squeezing his eyes closed, he pushed the vision out of his mind.

“We will be parents,” he said softly, “We will be…” She nodded against him.

“What do we do now?”

It was a question she had asked him before. When she had her first heat, when the University found out about their relationship. She turned to him for answers because he was her Alpha, her mate and he was there to protect her. He kissed her hair, running his nose across her temple gently.

“We take things one day at a time,” he said, “You’re going to heal and you’re going to let me take care of you. You’re not alone,”

“Neither are you,”

She yawned deeply, her head bobbing against him and he shifted his head ever so slightly to look down at her, the hand around her body coming up to stroke her cheek.

“You need to rest sweetheart,” he said, “You need to sleep,”

“Stay with me?”

“Always,”

00000

The sudden onslaught of having two different classes to deal with and prepare for had was giving Hux a much-needed distraction.

If he was thinking about grading papers and cell signalling and biology, then he wasn’t thinking about…

The first time he had walked into the lecture hall to take Ben’s epidemiology class, he had been met with a lot of confused stares from the students, a few in horror. He had gone through the motions, telling them which books to work from, going through the presentation and taking any questions as best he could.

It was obvious from the way Ben had been teaching them that they were used to a far more open way of learning and it was throwing him off.

“Did you hear about Rey Jackson? She was in a car accident…that’s why Professor Solo isn’t here,”

“Oh my God, really? Poor Rey…”

“I know right?! I heard that Professor Solo is devasted,”

“Aren’t they mated? No wonder he’s so upset,”

“I guess they weren’t just fucking after all…”

He walked the halls trying his best to ignore the chatter and gossip that he heard. Trust students to spread information like wildfire. Where did they even hear things from anyway?

The second time he walked into the class to teach, he could have sworn that they were all glaring at him. Did they know? No, no of course not.

_That’s just your guilty conscience Armitage._

He shook his head sharply, as if trying to physically shake the thoughts out of his mind. He hadn’t done anything. He _hadn’t_. It was a coincidence, a tragic coincidence which had resulted in…

He couldn’t bring himself to think about it.

It had been a long day when someone finally confronted him. As he rounded the main gates to go to his car, he was met with an irate pair of eyes and a slinging slap across the face.

“You fucking manipulative bastard!”

Jessika stood in front of him, shaking the pins and needles from her hand as his cheek inflamed and immediately turned pink.

“Jess…please, I can’t talk about this…” he muttered, trying to move past her to his car.

“No! We are going to talk about it!” She hissed, “I had an interesting conversation with Jynn Erso today and she told me that Ben Solo had been _mated_ for months before I came back so how could he possibly have told _you_ that he was missing me? Huh?”

Hux considered himself a good liar. He had been getting away with it his whole life but now, he had nothing he could say, and he shrugged helplessly.

“You lied to me,” she spat, “You told me to practically throw myself at him and for what? So, you could break up and separate a mated pair who love each other? Do you really hate him _that_ much?”

“I…I’m sorry…” Hux defended uselessly. She scoffed.

“And now, now today when I was visiting with Amilyn she told me that he just lost his baby?!” she cried painfully, “…have you any idea what you’ve done,”

“I didn’t do that…it wasn’t my fault!” he begged, his face contorted and distraught.

_Not my fault not my fault not my fault_

“Did you ever stop to think that if you hadn’t set them up, and you _did_ , don’t try to deny that!” She growled, “If you hadn’t set them up then they might not be in the position they are now?!”

He had thought about it. He had thought long and hard about it every night since he had been told the news, a glass of scotch in his hand to try and drown out the sick feeling in his stomach. It never worked.

“Have you…have you told Amilyn?” She rolled her eyes in disgust.

“and still you’re thinking about yourself…of course I told her,” Jessika said, “but if I were you, I’d worry more about Ben because if he gets hold of you, after what you started, Amilyn is going to be the least of your fucking problems,”

She stormed away from him before he could reply, leaving him alone in the parking lot to think about what she had said.

00000

He had stayed with her the whole time she had slept, watching her chest rise and fall steadily with a keen eye, the movement reminding him that she was still alive. She had only woken when a nurse came into the room to take her blood pressure and change the drip in her hand.

She had patted the space on the bed next to her, insisting that he joined her, even though the standard issue hospital bed was far too small to fit both her and Ben’s large body. It didn’t matter to Rey, she wanted him as close as possible, awkwardly and painfully shifting until he she was settled between his legs, her back against his chest and his arms around her body as he crooned, the unconscious rumbling in his chest relaxing her muscles.

_Alpha is here. Alpha is going protect you._

The nurse who found them that way was not impressed, and Ben had found himself thoroughly chastised by a woman twice his age and half his size.

“When is the last time you ate something?” Rey asked suddenly, after his stomach growled loudly, “Or slept for that matter?”

Ben paused in thought, his eyes still staring ahead absently at the Friends re-run on the TV in front of them, realising that he had been at the hospital for almost 48 hours since she had been admitted. He had dozed off and on in the chair next to her bed and only eaten the power bar Rose had shoved in his hand when he had stopped by, telling the taller Alpha that it would do Rey no good if he made himself sick.

“I’ll get something later,” he said casually, “Doesn’t matter,”

His stomach growled again.

“Ben,” Rey warned, “Please go and take care of yourself. Eat something, get a good sleep in an actual bed, take a shower…”

“I don’t want to leave you,” he hummed quietly, pressing a kiss over her mating mark. She reached back to stroke his furry cheek, well stubbled from days of not shaving.

“I know,” she said, “But I’m only going to worry about you and besides, Rose is going to come up and spend time with me today anyway. Please? For me if not for yourself?”

“Alright,” he conceded, “I’ll go…I guess I am kind of hungry…”

Carefully he untangled himself from her, helping her get into a comfortable position and propped up with a mountain of pillows before he kissed her soundly, promising that he would be back as soon as he could.

Stepping from the room, giving her one last glance before he closed the door, he almost ran directly into Poe.

“Whoa, hey, I was just coming to see you guys,” He smiled, handing Ben a Starbucks cup, “Got you this, thought you might need something a little better than the tar from that awful machine through there,”

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” Ben said, “I’m actually just heading home for a while. I was going to ask if you’d sit with Rey while I’m gone,”

“Good, you look like you could do with a…freshen up,” Poe winked.

Ben wrinkled his nose. Poe did have a point. He had been wearing the same clothes for days, having sweated through them on more than one occasion, and his hair was hanging in a greasy tangle.

“Yeah well, Rey just gave me my marching orders,” Ben said with a small smile, “So I’m heading back to grab a shower, get some rest and grab some of her things,”

Poe reached into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a pamphlet and awkwardly handing it to Ben.

“Listen, I…umm…I picked this up for you too,” he said. Ben scanned the writing on the front.

“Grief counselling?”

“I’m not saying you need it, but…you might,” Poe said kindly, “It’s a hell of a thing and, well…I wish someone had pointed it out to me years ago. It really helped me deal with things in a healthier way…after I lost…,”

“Umm…yeah, you know what, thanks,” Ben said quietly, pushing the paper into his pocket, “That’s actually really great of you, and thank you, by the way…for everything. I’m really not sure if I could have done this on my own,”

“You’re welcome,”

“I know that’s not a very ‘Alpha’ thing of me to admit…” Poe scoffed, shrugging his shoulders.

“Hey, Alpha, Beta, Omega…we’re still all human,”


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we've had "A New Smut", made it through "The Angst Strikes Back" and now, lovely readers, "Return of the Fluff! (With smut)"
> 
> As always, thank you for your comments and support. We're on the home stretch now!

[](https://imgur.com/ew2lFy6)

“Rey Jackson, put that box down _now!_ ”

It wasn’t the voice Rey had expected to shout at her for trying to help with their moving efforts, but they were effective all the same. Rose stomped over to her, picking up the box she had just dropped.

“Rose…it was a light one!” Rey tried to protest petulantly but Rose remained adamant.

“If Ben knew that I let you anywhere _near_ a box to carry he’d murder me or worse…he’d _fail_ me…do you want me to fail Rey?!”

Rey had been released from hospital a week after she had woken up, but she was under strict orders to take it easy and rest often. An order which Ben took very seriously. He fussed over her like a mother hen, anxious of any noise of discomfort that she made.

Taking Poe’s advice, both Ben and Rey had begun to go to grief counselling to deal with their unexpected loss. Sometimes they went together, being guided on how to deal with their turbulent emotions as a couple. Other times they went separately, acknowledging that they would have different feelings to work through than the other. They were still hurting, but it was easing the healing process having a safe place to vent and deconstruct their feelings.

“You know, I never realised how much stuff I owned,” Rey said, looking around her empty apartment, “There must be thousands of dollars’ worth of school books alone!”

In the aftermath of her accident, Ben had decided that it didn’t make sense for them to live in two separate homes, wanting to be as close to Rey as possible from then on. It had taken some convincing, but she had relented, seeing Ben’s point of view when she realised that she didn’t want to live separately from him either. He had even been willing to cover any remaining costs to break her out of her lease.

“Well as the girl who had to live with you for the first 2 years of college…” Rose said, “I absolutely _do_ know how much stuff you have…I hope Ben’s place is big enough…”

“It is,” Rey said offhandedly, “Urgh, I just hate feeling so useless! What if I carry this one? It’s tiny!”

Tentatively, her ribs screaming in protest as she moved, Rey bent down and picked up the smaller box of clothes, standing with a wince as Ben emerged in the front doorway.

“Put down the damn box Rey!” Ben blurted out as he rushed into the room to take the box from her hands. Light or not, she was still recovering from major injuries and he wasn’t about to have her going into relapse.

“I told her not to pro-so!” Rose quipped, walking past him to venture down the stairs to the waiting cars. Ben rolled his eyes.

“Oh good, that’s still a thing…” he drawled sarcastically before he turned back to Rey, “Rey, you’re going to be the death of me. Can you _please_ just take it easy? It’s only been two weeks…”

“I just don’t like standing around while everyone else is doing all the work!” she protested, “I’m a little sore…I’m not crippled so let me help!”

“No, I’m sorry but I’m putting my foot down sweetheart,” he said stubbornly, “Don’t make me command you…”

“You wouldn’t…”

“I would!”

“Don’t. You. _Dare…_ ”

Rey reached forward to pick up a bag from the floor.

“Leave that bag where it is Omega!”

There it was. That warm feeling in her bones, his voice deepening, feeling like it was reverberating through her body and mingling with her scent, forcing her to comply with his wishes. As well as she could, she straightened her body again, huffing sullenly. Most of the textbooks liked to say it only worked when Omega’s were in heat.

_How wrong they are…_

Admittedly, using his Alpha tendencies wasn’t something Ben ever did, so she knew that he must have deemed it important. He didn’t feel comfortable exerting his influence like that.

“Cheap move, Solo!” she tried to sound annoyed, but her mouth was creeping into a smile. He put the box in his hands down and pulled her gently against him, kissing her sweetly.

“I do it because I love you,” he said plainly, “and because I want you healthy. If you want to return to classes after Christmas then it’s probably a good idea to listen to your Alpha,”

“Fine,” she conceded, “But just know…I’m not happy about it,” Ben grinned at her.

“Really? You’ve been so quiet about it too…”

She stuck her tongue out at him playfully, pulling him down for another kiss.

“Why is it every time I walk into a room I find you two attached at the mouth?” Finn teased, emerging from the kitchen with a can of soda in one hand and a plaster cast on the other, “Honestly, Ben, you’re a man of science…control yourself!”

Ben winked at Rey, picking the box up.

“Well if she didn’t insist on trying to make herself useful, I wouldn’t have to distract her,” he said with a shrug. Finn came to stand next to his friend.

“Oh, I dunno, I quite enjoy watching everyone else do the work,” he said, “Watching my man build up a sweat!”

Finn had been released from hospital only 2 days after the accident, the doctors deciding that his concussion was mild enough that he could heal at home, but that didn’t mean that Poe was allowing him to do anything strenuous.

“Is that the last box?” Finn asked, and Rey nodded.

“Yeah, I just need to lock up and leave my key with Maz,”

She would miss her apartment. The place where she had shared countless wine filled nights with Rose while they studied, the living room where she and Finn had binge watched horror movies, the bedroom where she had connected with Ben properly for the first time during her heat, the shower she had confessed she was falling in love with him. She was leaving it behind, but for the better.

Rey locked her front door for the last time, crossing the hall and knocking on her neighbour’s door. Maz, the strange old lady, opened her door, her huge owl-like eyes blinking up at Rey.

“Hey Maz, just wanting to say goodbye and give you the key back,”

“Oh, are you ready to leave now dear?” she asked with a sad, small smile.

“I am. Thank you for everything!” Rey said sincerely, “I really loved that apartment but, it’s time to move onto something new,”

“You know…I’m really going to miss seeing that Alpha of yours in the hallway…” Maz said, her voice falling somewhere between sad and evocative. Rey held back a smirk, turning her head to see Ben walking up the stairs.

“Ready to go?” he asked her, pausing when he suddenly realised he was being openly ogled by a 90-year-old woman.

“Oh, there he is…” she said suggestively, her huge eyes blatantly looking him up and down. Rey covered her mouth to prevent the giggle bubbling in her gut from erupting, seeing her huge mate frozen where he stood awkwardly.

Once, Ben had gone to the front door in only his boxer to pick up the mail and was mortified to have opened the door at the same time as the woman across the hall. He had the distinct impression she was undressing him with her eyes now, remembering what he looked like without clothes.

Maz turned back to Rey.

“I hope my next tenant brings something as tall, dark and handsome with them,” she declared, giving him one last look, “Take care you two!”

She closed the door, leaving Rey trying not to break into hysterics and Ben flabbergasted.

“You know,” he said, breaking out of his stupor with a sideways grin, “I’m really going to miss that thirsty old woman,”

00000

It felt good to walk the campus again, Rey thought, even if she was only there as a visitor for the afternoon.

Amilyn Holdo had been one of the many who had sent her flowers and well wishes, but it felt sincere from the woman. While she walked towards her regular building, Rey was greeted by plenty of her classmates, all saying how well she was looking and how happy they were to see her back.

While she smiled and them and graciously said thank you, Rey didn’t believe for a second that, from some of them, their comfort and support was sincere. Half of them, especially some Beta girls, were doing it out of guilt.

They had been the people who trashed her relationship with Ben behind her back, after all.

Pulling her scarf tightly around her neck to keep out the chill, she walked into the building, heading straight for Professor Holdo’s office.

“Oh, my goodness, Rey it is _so_ good to see you!” Holdo cried happily, pulling Rey into a hug. It wasn’t exactly a professional thing to do, but it heartened Rey to see the woman who had been a supporter of her relationship, “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” Rey said, taking a seat, “Much better. Still recovering but I’m getting there,” Holdo nodded, her face sympathetic.

“Can I just say, on a personal level, I am so sorry for you and Ben’s loss,” she said gently, “I can’t imagine what you have been going through,”

Rey smiled genuinely but there was a tightness behind it. She knew people meant well, but there were only so many times she could be told that someone was sorry for her. Her reply was normally based on who it was that was giving then condolences. She knew that Amilyn Holdo was being kind and genuinely meant her words.

“Thank you,” Rey said quietly, “We’re doing okay, I think,” The woman across from her nodded in understanding.

“So, I see you’re going to be coming back to us after the Christmas break?” she said, shifting the subject, “And Ben will be returning to work too?”

“That’s the plan, all being well!” Rey confirmed, “I know I have some catching up to do…but I wanted to speak to you about graduation. Do you think it’s still possible?”

“You’re lucky that you’re a good student!” Holdo smiled, “You are right. You will have some catching up to do and I won’t lie, it will be hard work…you’re already a little behind due to the class change earlier in the year,”

Rey’s eye frantically shot up from looking at the desk to Holdo. In her excitement to start resuming normal life she completely forgot that one of her classes had a small hitch.

Hux.

“Professor Holdo, I would like to put in a special request to be removed from Professor Hux’s class…”

Holdo sat still, her face patient.

“I see,” she said, “You know I received word of a rather disturbing piece of gossip regarding Professor Hux and the situation between yourself and Ben…am I to believe that there is merit to it?”

Rey nodded carefully.

“Right,” Holdo sighed, “Between you and I, I would like nothing more than to fire his ass…but without proof, it’s word against word. I’m not able to do anything without tangible proof,”

Rey frowned in annoyance. While she appreciated that Holdo was on their side, she knew the woman was right. There were people higher up who would demand an explanation. She could hardly fire a senior Professor without any evidence past word of mouth.

“However, given the situation…we can take you out of his class and get you the extra credit somewhere else. I’m sure Professor Erso will be happy to let you take on some extra lab research for a few extra credits,”

“So…there isn’t a chance I could re-enter Ben’s class?” Rey asked, trying her best to keep the hope out of her voice, not even bothering with the pretence of using his title.

“University policy is very strict here, Rey,” Holdo said, “There’s too high a risk of someone declaring favouritism. It’s Professor Erso’s extra credit or I’m afraid you won’t be graduating this term,”

“Given the options, I’ll take the extra credit work,” Rey said, “Thank you Professor Holdo, you’ve been…unbelievable,”

When she opened the door to leave Professor Holdo’s office, Ben was already waiting for her, leaning against the opposite wall casually in his dark jeans, black tee and leather jacket. Rey breathed deeply, his scent on the air.

“Hey sweetheart,” he greeted when she approached, kissing her softly. Holdo cleared her throat.

“You know, that’s technically against those rules you both agreed to follow,” she chastised but there was no real malice in her tone and there was a smile on her face. Ben shrugged.

“Technically neither of us are part of Harvard right now, so it doesn’t count!”

A door further down the corridor creaked open, drawing the attention of the three people in the corridor. A thick, palpable tension filled the air as Hux emerged from his office, pausing when he felt the eyes on him and blanching when he realised who was there.

A deep growl emanated from Ben’s throat, his teeth immediately baring as he stormed forward towards the red headed man, his fists clenched tightly.

“Ben no!” Rey cried, grabbing hold of his jacket and pulling him back as best she could, “Please Ben…not here!”

“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Ben snarled, “I’m going to rip his throat out with my teeth if I have to!”

Part of her wanted him to do it. She wanted Hux to suffer even a fraction of how they had suffered. Her Omega instincts wanted to watch her Alpha protect her in the most primal, visceral way possible. The logical part of her kept hold of his arm tightly, knowing that the corridor of the Harvard biology wing was _not_ the place, pulling him back to her and grabbing his face with her hands.

“Please Ben, not now…not here…” she soothed, “You can’t do it here…”

He blinked at her blearily, her scent dissipating some of the blood lust he had been experiencing. The red mist that had descended around him began to clear and he nodded shakily.

“He can’t just be allowed to get away with it…”

“I know! I know,” Rey assured quickly, “And he won’t but…not here, not now, okay?”

“Not here,” he repeated, calming down slowly, “Not now,”

00000

She twisted and turned herself, looking over her body reflected in full length mirror of the bathroom. The scar on her side had healed well, only showing as a pink line which she was assured would fade further. It would never disappear completely, serving as a reminder of that night, but it would fade and that was good enough.

Another metaphor, she thought to herself.

Her bruises had healed completely, the only thing left was her two cracked ribs but even they were feeling better every day. All in all, Rey was feeling like her old self again, more or less.

So why wasn’t Ben having sex with her?

It wasn’t that he was inattentive or disinterested, far from it. They would be making out on their sofa like teenagers when suddenly he would jump up and make a sudden excuse about having to prepare something for work or call his Mother (She knew he was definitely lying with _that_ excuse).

 Hell, there were some days she could _smell_ how badly he wanted her.

Weren’t Alphas supposed to be the designation that had the highest sex drive? Omegas had their heats sure, but Alphas were meant to be the insatiable class. Then again, Ben had shown more times than she could count that he didn’t read like a typical Alpha.

 Rey pulled her top back down and she reached into the bathroom cabinet, grabbing the painkillers she had been given. She needed them less and less as the days went on, but for tonight, she was going to need them. Just in case.   

Smiling to herself, she wandered back through to the living room where Ben sat idly on the sofa, flicking through some notes for his book.

“Hey, you okay?”

She sat down next to him, so close his large body was pressed against the arm and without warning she kissed him fiercely, holding the back of his head as her other hand slid over his chest. She smiled against his lips. He wanted her, she could feel it in the way his muscles jumped under her hands, in the way he was growling in his chest.

_Come on. There’s my Alpha._

He pushed back against her when she caught his full lower lip in her teeth, but when his hands began to drift to her waist he suddenly pulled back. He was breathing hard, his eyes dark and his lips bruised and blushed from the effort.

“Wha..”

“I can’t,” he said roughly, “I…I can’t…”

She blinked at him in confusion, smoothing her hair and shuffling closer to him.

“Why not?” she asked, trying to force her voice to stay calm and not emerge as a pathetic plea for his attention, “Ben, it’s been weeks and I _miss_ you! Don’t you…want me anymore?”

“Christ yes!” Ben said quickly, “It’s not you. It’s not you _at all_ , believe me…keeping my hands off you has been painful I just…I don’t….”

“Don’t what?”

“I don’t want to hurt you!” he said hurriedly, the words rushing from his mouth.

A soft, understanding smile fell on Rey’s face and Ben couldn’t help but look bashful, like he had admitted something shameful. Rey reached out, and stroked his face, pulling him to look at her.

“Ben you’re not going to hurt me…you could never hurt me,”

“Given the size I am compared to the size you are, I think you’ll find I could quite easily hurt you…” he said, his tone dry.

“Okay…be that as it may, I _trust_ you not to hurt me. Is that better?” she said hopefully, “Come on, I know you miss me too…”

“You have no idea…” he growled under his breath.

Ben considered himself a modern man. He was well educated, well spoken and held a modern view in terms of Alpha Omega dynamics, but that didn’t mean his natural instincts didn’t work.

Having her close and finally sharing his home was a sweet torture. He had flirted with the idea of just giving to her, of worshiping her body with his tongue until she was screaming his name but there was no way he could promise that he would be able to control himself and the last thing she needed was his rut kicking in because he was pent up.

“Ben…”

“No, Rey, just…wait a little while longer?”

She huffed a sigh, turning and sitting herself back on the sofa, her back against the cushions as she sat cross legged.

“Fine,”

“Thank you,”

Ben picked up his notes again, his eyes moving behind his glasses as he scanned his paper. Rey smirked, watching him from the side of her eyes as he absently held his pen between his teeth. She always loved how he looked, but the way he was when he was working was particularly sexy to her. His black tee clung tightly to the muscles around his chest and shoulders, his hair hanging in beautiful dishevelment around his face, his glasses adding an air of authority as he sucked on his pen.

Never before had Rey been jealous of stationary.

Without making a fuss, Rey leaned back on the sofa cushion, allowing her hand to slip below the waistband of her sweat shorts, finding her already sensitive clit, slowly circling herself and releasing a light moan in pleasure.

The sound was what made Ben turn. At first, he thought she was in pain but seeing her hand moving south of the border of her waistband made the pen fall from his mouth.

“What are you doing?” his voice was higher pitched than he had intended, the words releasing with difficulty considering how dry his mouth had suddenly become and he noticed, with agitation that she didn’t stop when she answered him.

“Relieving some tension,” she answered breathily, “Since it looks like I’m going to have to do it myself…”

He exhaled a long shaking breath, his eyes locked on her. She smelled beyond belief, her scent mingling with her arousal and it was sending a message directly to the primal part of his brain that his Omega was left wanting and he immediately had to fix the situation.

“Rey…” he growled in warning, pulling his glasses off and pushing his work to the side.

She continued to move her hand, a flush rising on her body as her temperature rose, flooding the room with her pheromones as she moaned louder. He watched slack jawed, his own breathing ragged is ears, as he eyes fluttered closed at the sensations she was giving herself. Knowing that he was watching her, that she was making his scent spike spurred her on, wanting to put on a show for the man in front of her.

_That’s right Alpha. It’s for you. It’s all for you._

Suddenly he was glad he was wearing loose basketball shorts, his own hand reaching down and grabbing hold of his achingly hard cock, swollen and already leaking cum in his hand. He groaned loudly at the feeling, Rey opening her eyes at the sight with a satisfied grin.

_I’ve got you now_

“I’m so wet for you _Alpha_ ,” she panted, “Don’t you want to touch me? Don’t you want to feel me around your cock again?”

He moved as fast as he could to kneel in front of her, grabbing the wrist of her arm that was working herself. He pulled it free and she gasped when he took her sticky fingers into his mouth, sucking them clean.

“I’d rather taste you first,” he growled dangerously. His eyes were the darkest she had seen them in such a long time, reminding her of how he looked during her heat, like she was prey being stalked and God if she wasn’t willing to be caught.

His fingers hooked into her shorts, pulling them down along with her panties in one swift motion, his hands pushing her thighs apart and he wasted no time in sinking his tongue into her dripping heat.

“Fuck, Ben!” Rey moaned, his tongue probing her and sliding up her folds to circle her clit in quick crisscrossing motions that made her see stars, “I missed you…”

He was like a man who had been handed the purest water after years in the dessert, lapping at her pussy like a cartographer studying a map, pulling rough moans from her sweet pink lips. How had he lasted this long without her?

Knowing she needed more, he pushed two fingers inside her tight cunt, groaning against her at the sensation of her gripping him, his cock pulsing and his hips moving of their own accord in conjunction with his hand, matching the rhythm.

“Please make me cum…I want to cum for you Alpha,” she moaned. He smiled wickedly, his teeth grazing ever so slightly against her clit, just enough for the shocking sensation to send jolts along her body as he increased the pace of his fingers.

She keened, crying out long and hard as she came against his mouth and hand, her whole body tensing and convulsing in sweet release that she had been craving from him. As she came down from the heaven that he had sent her to, he withdrew himself, standing to pull off his clothes.

He knelt on the floor, his erection standing proudly, and he grabbed her hand to pull her down with him. Her back to his chest as he knelt, her thighs resting on his, her shins flat against the floor, she sunk down onto him, taking him in to the hilt as the both moaned loudly.

He pulled her shirt off, reaching to palm her breasts, pinching her nipple as they moved, pushing his hips up into her. It was perfect, he realised. He could move and control the pace without crushing her still healing body, one arm holding her steady around her chest while the other slid down to tease her exposed clit.

“You feel amazing,” he panted, “Fuck, you’re so wet and tight for me!”

“I missed you…I missed having all of you,” she groaned, her head tipping back to his shoulder and he took advantage of the expanse of her neck, biting and licking at the soft skin around her glands, his teeth sinking into her mating mark.

_MateMateMate_

How had they never done this before? He felt so close to her, so much skin on skin contact that it was driving Rey crazy having all of him in such close proximity at the same time, his moans and grunts almost directly next to her ear spurring her on. It was so intimate, feeling the beads of sweat roll between his chest and her spine.

He leaned back slightly, watching her move on her own as his fingers continued to circle her, increasing the pressure and pace until she was screaming her release, crying out his name as her soaked cunt pulsed around him. She slumped back, her second orgasm almost exhausting her, allowing his arms to hold her against his strong chest as he continued to pump her through it.

“Shh,” he crooned, “Is that what my Omega wanted? You wanted to come on my cock?”

He continued to thrust up into her, his breathing coming in short, shallow pants until his knot swelled and he came with a long, low groan, biting down on her shoulder while she sighed in contentment, finally feeling filled.

They remained that way, kneeling together on their living room floor, both breathing hard as their rapidly beating hearts returned to a normal rhythm. He kissed her shoulder, moving up along her neck and ear, the flat of his tongue licking over her glands, scenting and comforting her.

_Alpha is here. Alpha is going to take care of you._

Carefully, acknowledging that his knees were throbbing, he angled them to the lie on their side, grabbing a nearby cushion to protect their heads from the wooden floor.

“Is that more like it sweetheart?” he asked lazily, kissing the sensitive spot below her ear and delighting in the shiver it caused. She grinned.

“Much more like it,” she replied, feeling safer and more contented than she had in weeks.

Her ribs were killing her, but he didn’t need to know that.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Haven't updated as quickly as I would have liked but I was spending some much needed time having a breather after my finals and actually seeing my other half!
> 
> The chapter count has been updated! We're almost at the end of this story and I'm going to be so sad when it's all done, I've loved every second writing this world and what it's turned into. I'm so grateful everyone else has loved it too!
> 
> Also, Totally passed my finals. Year 3 Biomedical Science and Immunology here I come ;)

[](https://imgur.com/Z9x5Njs)

The wind was whipping the snow into a frenzy by the time Ben pushed his way into the coffee shop across from his apartment, shaking the stray frozen flakes from his long hair.

Considering everything that had happened, it hadn’t surprised Ben to find there was only a few shopping days left until Christmas. At least this time he had an excuse for being woefully unprepared. Most of his gifts for people have arrived from internet shopping but he had still taken the time to go and hunt for a few choice pieces for Rey.

Some first edition books he knew she would love, some academic journals that he had pulled some strings for access to. On the advice of Rose, he had also chosen some less practical things like her favourite make-up and some clothes, selected from a very particular list that Rose had compiled.

He had reminded the young woman that, no, helping him pick Christmas gifts for Rey would, in fact, not count as extra credit but that he admired the girl for trying.

He ordered his coffee, grabbing the paper cup and organising his shopping bags into one hand, he turned to leave the shop, stepping directly into someone else’s path.

Jessika Pava.

“Oh…Jessika…hi,” he said awkwardly.

The last time he had seen Jessika had been when she had tried to kiss him, setting off the unfortunate chain of events leading to Rey and Finn’s accident. He had been so cold to her, snapping that if she had let him finish his sentence then she would have known that he was mated and very much not interested. She had practically run from his office in a floor of tears as he had shouted at her to never come near them again.

“Hey Ben,” she said quietly, seemingly just as uncomfortable as he was at the sudden meeting. He didn’t blame her.

They stood staring at each other, neither really knowing what to say. She knew what had happened in the aftermath, she knew what he had lost.

“Look, Jess…I’m sorry,” Ben said, eventually breaking the uneasy silence, “I didn’t mean what I said to come out the way it did…I know it’s a shit excuse, but I was panicked, my hormones kicking into fifth gear…”

“Hey, look…I get it,” Jessika replied kindly with a small, sad smile, “If I had known I never would have…Armitage told me that you were still interested and that if I was that forward it would…well, it doesn’t matter…”

“Yeah, it didn’t seem like you,” Ben sighed, “I already know about Hux…he’s going to be getting what’s coming to him, I promise,” Jessika stilled, frowning in worry.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m just going to show him that all actions have consequences,” Ben said coldly. Jessika nodded carefully, loathe to hear anything more on the subject. She rolled her shoulders, unsure if she should continue with what she really wanted to say.

“Ben, I’m so sorry…about all of it, about what happened,” She said softly, “Is…how is your mate?”

“Rey,” he said, smiling softly, “Her name is Rey and she’s better. Still a little tender but she’s healing quickly. She’s going back to classes after Christmas,”

“Good! That’s good…and…Jesus, I’m just so sorry about…”

“Don’t,” He suddenly said firmly, cutting off her sentence.

He knew what she was about to say. She was going to say how sorry she was to hear about Rey’s miscarriage. She was going to give him that agonised face with the tilted head and tell him how awful it was to hear about how they had lost their baby. It was the same face he had seen before on so many other people.

Jessika hadn’t done anything directly. She had been manipulated into believing something and he knew he couldn’t hold her accountable for that. Hell, he had gone to one specific therapy session with his grief councillor specifically to discuss that issue, but it didn’t make it any easier and he was still working through it. He just wasn’t ready to hear it directly from her.

“Okay,” she said, withdrawing herself ever so slightly, “Listen, I’m going to let you get on with your day but…it was good to talk to you,”

 “Good to see you too Jess,” he said sincerely, “Take care of yourself,”

He stiffened when she hugged him goodbye. It was an awkward contact that told him he would likely never see the Beta woman again.

Ben left the coffee shop feeling lighter knowing he had somewhat cleared the air with Jessika. At the very least they had said their piece and could move on. He crossed the street, opening the door to his building and bounding up the stairs to his door.

Fir. The first thing he could smell was fir trees and he paused to sniff the air at his front door before he opened it.

“God damn Poe, I told you it was too tall!”

There was a huge tree in his living room.

Ben emerged into his living room to find Rose and Poe standing in front of a huge fir tree, the top bent awkwardly and wedged against the ceiling. Both stood with their heads tilted comically as Rey and Finn sat on the sofa, Finn with this face in his hands and Rey trying not to laugh.

“I thought I smelled forest,” Ben said as he walked in, dropping the bags off to one side, “What’s all this?”

Rey’s face lit up as she laid eyes on him, bouncing from her sitting place to greet him with a kiss, happily ignoring that he was damp from the snow that had melted onto his wool coat.

“I would like to start by saying I had nothing to do with this,” Rey smiled, “I mentioned that we hadn’t had the time to get a tree and…”

“We decided to help!” Rose finished cheerfully, “Well…kind of…Poe did the measuring…”

“I see,” Ben quipped, “Excellent job. Really, I didn’t know I needed a dent in my ceiling until now…”

“Ha ha,” Poe drawled, “It’ll be fine. We’ll just attach the star…somewhere…else…”

“We’re going to order a pizza, put on something festive and decorate the tree,” Rey grinned, her arms still fully around his neck, “Are you done for the day?”

He had been done for the day, but something occurred to him. He had been waiting for the right moment to slip away and take care of some business and now the opportunity was presenting itself. If Rey was here with her friends, decorating their Christmas tree and thinking of nothing but being happy and in the moment, then he knew she wouldn’t be worried about where he was. He kissed her, nuzzling at her affectionately.

“Not quite sweetheart,” he said, “There’s just something I need to go and do first then I’m all yours,”

“Okay, but don’t take too long,” she pouted, “I’ll miss you and it won’t be the same if you’re not here,”

“Don’t worry, this won’t take long,”

Rey didn’t need to know what he was going to do. Not yet.

00000

He thought he had it under control.

He taught his classes as if nothing was amiss. He graded the work submitted to him and he spoke with co-workers when he needed to. They all knew, he was sure of it. It wasn’t that they had ever been particularly friendly and warm, which suited him fine, he also viewed his relationship with other faculty members and professors as strictly professional, but in the day’s following Ben Solo’s absence from work, something changed.

They barely looked him in the eye and if they did, it was full of cold contempt.

It wasn’t his fault. _It wasn’t._

_Keep telling yourself that…_

Then he saw them. He had left his office and like the phantoms that dogged his every step, they were there, in the flesh. He had been certain that Ben was going to rip his throat out the way he had begun to stalk towards him, but it was only Rey’s hand that had pulled him back. Even Amilyn Holdo had stood by and said nothing.

Grabbing the nearby control for his television with shaking hands, Armitage Hux turned the set off. He was hoping it would distract him, but it was useless. It hadn’t worked any other night, so why would tonight be any different?

The drinking hadn’t helped him forget either. The only purpose it served was to get him foggy enough to have some kind of sleep but every time he closed his eyes he thought about how he had gone too far, how one action had set off a chain of events that had lead to a young couple losing their child.

He felt sick.

A knock sounded at his door and he frowned, his head turning towards the door. He wasn’t expecting anyone and so few people knew where he lived on the other side of town, far from the campus. Sighing heavily, he threw back what remained of his scotch, allowing the liquid to burn his throat as he stood to answer the door.

No sooner had the door opened, Hux found himself on his back, his face erupting in white hot pain as a fist landed square against his nose. He coughed and gasped for breath, staring up at the man who had swung for him.

Ben Solo.

Frantically he scrambled back further into his home as Ben sauntered forward, the door closing behind him.

_This is it. This is how I’m going to die._

“You shouldn’t be surprised to see me,” Ben growled, “You knew this was coming,”

Hux could still make out Ben’s scent behind his shattered nose, despite the copper of his own blood coming through. There was barely any trace of his mate on him, he was so irate. It was all Ben, his Alpha pheromones working into a frenzy of blood lust. A true Alpha high.

He grabbed Hux by the collar of his shirt hauling him to his feet and landing a sharp punch against his gut before he swung upwards, catching the paler man on the jaw and sending him straight back to the floor.

“Have you _any_ idea what you put us through?” Ben snarled, “I had to watch her lying in a hospital bed, I had to watch as a doctor told her that we had lost our baby…I had to hold her night after night as she broke her heart and blamed herself when it was _you_ who started all of this!”

Hux cried in agony as Ben landed a boot to his ribs, feeling the bones crack under the sudden pressure.

“And for what? For my _job_!? Because you wanted something so badly you were willing to hurt everyone around you?”

He grabbed the man again, hauling him up so he could look him in the eyes, so he could be sure that Hux understood every word he was saying. He had always been used to Hux being the type of person who had no morals, who didn’t care about consequences which is why he was so caught off guard when Hux began to cry.

“I…I’m sorry…” He sobbed weakly, his voice nasal from the broken nose, “I didn’t know…I didn’t know…”

What else could he say to the furious man above him?

“And you think that makes it okay?” Ben sneered, dropping him to the floor, “That you didn’t know? Well I have news for you, we didn’t know either. How do you think it made us both feel to find out? I had to look my mate in the eye while she asked me if she had killed our baby…”

“Oh God,” Hux continued to wail, “I’m sorry…I’m so sorry…”

Ben stared down at the sobbing wreck of a human in front of him, his lip curled in disgust. He hadn’t been sure what he expected to find here. Excuses? An argument? He certainly hadn’t expected the kind of remorse the man was showing but he couldn’t be sure if it was guilt or fear that was driving him.

Carefully, Ben squatted down towards him, watching him with keen, cold eyes.

“You know, I wanted to kill you,” He said coldly, “I wanted to tear you apart and leave you beaten to within an inch of your life, but you know what? I’m not going to do that…you’re pathetic enough already,”

He stood, smoothing his coat and his hair, trying to control his erratic breathing. He could feel the boiling blood pumping in his veins, his glands pulsing in his neck as his pheromones spiked.

“You didn’t drive that car,” Ben said, “But if you hadn’t interfered in our relationship, if you hadn’t purposely tried to split us apart then Rey wouldn’t have been in that car with her friend, she wouldn’t have been in that hospital and we would still have had our child. You’re going to have to live with that guilt for the rest of your life…and that’s worse than anything I could do to you,”

He turned away from Hux, still lying sobbing on the floor, blood dripping from his face, and he made his way towards the front door.

“See you at work, Armitage,”

00000

Ben had returned home to find the strangely angled tree already half decorated, Rey and her friends smiling and laughing as they did so.

Rey had greeted him at the door, kissing him firmly until she paused, drawing back to regard his face as she scented him, her eyes narrowing as she tried to decipher what was different about him. Ben had only smiled and told her that nothing was different and not to worry. Rey hadn’t believed him, but she lead him through to the living room anyway.

The rest of the evening had been enjoyable, Poe eventually giving up on putting the star on the tree considering how he had wedged it into Ben and Rey’s apartment. Rey had mused how they were going to get rid of the thing come New Year but Poe had waved it off, telling her he would come back and help cut it out. Eventually they had settled to watch a movie, Rey comfortably snuggled into Ben’s side the whole time.

As the hour grew late and Rose had begun to doze on the sofa, Ben and Rey had waved goodbye to the others, leaving them alone in their apartment.

Ben had just finishing brushing his teeth when he walked into their bedroom, Rey sitting on the bed cross legged with her head cocked to one side as she watched him.

“What happened?” She asked. There was no accusation in her tone, nothing harsh or severe, but she was concerned, worry creasing the brows of her beautiful face.

Ben tried his best not to visibly flinch. He didn’t want her to know that he had given in to his primitive side, that he had let his Alpha chemistry take over completely, even for just a minute. He wasn’t a monster and he couldn’t bare for her to look at him that way.

But he couldn’t lie to her.

“It’s nothing sweetheart,” he said, “I just had something I needed to take care of, for both of us,”

“What does that mean?”

“It means…what it means,” he shrugged. The frown on Rey’s face deepened.

“Ben…I can smell it on you, something happened. Your scents been all over the place since you came home,” she sighed, “Please don’t lie to me, tell me what’s happened…”

Carefully he approached her on the bed, running his hand through her soft, brunette hair as he gazed down at her with a reserved expression.

“I don’t think you’re going to like it…” she inhaled sharply, her eyes wary.

“Even if I don’t…I hate the thought of you lying to me even more,”

He knew it was true and Ben didn’t want any secrets between them, not ever. He sat down next to her on the bed.

“I paid Hux a visit tonight…” he said quietly, holding her eyes as she blinked up at him, comprehending the weight of his words.

“I see,” she breathed, “and I take it you…you did a little more than just talk to him?”

“Yes,”

“Is he…alive?”

“Yes!” he answered quickly, his eyes wide, “Of course he is. I just…well, he didn’t look great by the time I was leaving…”

“Jesus Ben,” Rey breathed as she suddenly stood, pacing in front of him, “I just…why?”

“You know why!” Ben said firmly, “Rey, he…he was the reason…and there was nothing else that could be done, he wasn’t going to face any repercussions! I couldn’t let him away with it!”

It was the sickening truth and she knew it. He couldn’t be fired without solid proof of his actions and what could they tell the police? That the man told a lie that caused an argument that lead to Rey being in a car on wet road? It would have been laughed off as a joke.

“So, what? You went to his home and beat him?!” She exclaimed, “Ben…what if you got caught? Where would that leave us then?”

Ben stood suddenly, his height towering over her, his face swimming with concern but there was stubbornness in his eyes.

“I did it for you, _for us_!” he pressed, “Rey…I’d do _anything_ for you. You must know that,”

“Anything?”

“ _Anything_ ,”

_MateAlphaMate_

She turned to face him, analysing his features. His eyes were so open and honest but everything else about him radiated strength and safety. His scent filled the air, mingling with her own, heightened with testosterone. His voice had deepened, she could practically see the pulse throbbing in his neck. He was still coming down from his Alpha high, triggered by his domination of another Alpha.

_Take me Alpha_

What the hell was her body doing to her? It was completely illogical. Her boyfriend had just confessed that he had gone and beaten another man and left him, but he wasn’t just her boyfriend, he was her _mate_ , her Alpha and in his mind, he had gone to defend her from another Alpha who would do her harm. Who had already done her harm.

Her mind wandered back to her heat when Poe had appeared at her door, the way her body had instantly responded to Ben’s protective Alpha tendencies. At the time she had assumed it was because they were in the middle of a cycle but now, the way she was feeling, she was wondering if it was just the way Alpha and Omegas responded to each other.

Was it more than that? Was she really attracted to the idea that her man wasn’t only a gentleman but that he could take care of her not just in their relationship, he could physically defend her?

Biology. She could always blame their biology.

Of all the responses Ben had expected, Rey suddenly rushing forward and straddling his waist was not one of them and he made a gasp in surprise when her hands fisted in his hair and she kissed him ardently, his own arms wrapping around her waist to hold her steady.

“Rey?” he questioned, pulling away breathlessly. She stared down at him, her teeth bared like an animal and her eyes bright.

“Just shut up and kiss me,”

He returned her kiss passionately, relieved that she wasn’t turning him away and groaning at the wonderful pressure she was putting on his scalp as she tugged at his hair. His lips moved to her jaw, her neck, teeth scraping against her glands as she ground her hips against him.

“Say it again,” she breathed, “I need to hear you say it again,” his lips moved to her ear, licking the shell and tugging her earring in his teeth.

“I love you. I’d do anything for you,” he growled, so visceral and intense that it drew a ragged gasp from her lips.

_I’d kill for you_

Her common sense should have been telling her to run, that the dark side of this Alpha was dangerous and what he had done should have disgusted her, but it didn’t. Hux had made his bed and Ben had been the one to make him lie in it. Her mate would protect her always and hell mend anyone who tried to fuck with them.

He rolled her to the bed as they continue to kiss and nip at one another, a frantic need threatening to consume them both. Neither were in the mood for slow or sensual. What they were feeling was a primal urge to own the other, to know that they were both there and safe and together.

Roughly he pulled her shorts from her body before tearing his own boxers away, the sound of ripping fabric barely being heard over their growls.

“God yes, that’s it…give it to me Alpha, I need to feel you!” Rey groaned as he pushed into her, his fingers threading with hers, pushing her arms above her head as he moved in her.

Both were snarling like wild animals as he thrusted powerfully again and again, the sound of his hips snapping against hers echoing around the room. She was his. His mate to protect and defend as he saw fit.

“I love you, oh fuck…I love you,” Rey chanted, her orgasm building as she felt the delicious tension begin to pool around her hips.

He sat back on his knees, pulling her legs around his hips as he pounded into her, watching her beautiful face contort in pleasure.

“Look at me Rey,” he commanded, “I need you to look at me,”

With difficulty, she pried her eyes open to look at the powerful man above her. He slowed his thrusts, pulling out slowly until he was barely there only to thrust back sharply, drawing a strangled moan from her each time as he hit that sensitive bundle of nerves.

“You’re safe with me,” he groaned, “I’ll never let anyone hurt you, you’re mine to protect,”

She nodded breathlessly, the intense connection of his eyes holding hers, his long sharp thrusts and the addition of his fingers on her soaked clit making her eyes roll back in her head with a moan.

Her walls clenched around him as she came, every ridge of her gripping his cock as he fell forward, his teeth scraping her collar bone as his groaned his own release, knotting her, his cock twitching violently in her, her cunt milking every drop from him.

As their breathing began to return to normal, chests heaving with the effort, Ben kissed her with unhurried slowness.

“Tell me…tell me that you understand?” he pleaded quietly. She smiled at him, moving his hair from his face and pressing her forehead to his.

“I do,” she whispered, “I’d do anything for you too,”

_MateMateMate_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have what I like to call a "Gentleman" kink - Where a guy is good looking, intelligent and polite but can also absolutely whoop someones ass when the time calls for it. I have thrown my own kink into this chapter and I regret nothing ;)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas! (Well, sort of...) Enter fluff, smut and tacky jumpers!
> 
> Debating how to pace the remainder of this story. I had initially planned to follow the entire academic year but obviously as you write you get other ideas and you see how things flow. The plan was for 20 chapters and an epilogue but we'll see how things play out!
> 
> As always, thank you all so much for reading, commenting and kudos. It means so much to me to be able to share my work with you and to know you're all enjoying too <3
> 
> Word of warning, if you get offended by religious flippancy then there might be some bits that you frown at. Happy Birthday, Jesus. 
> 
> Come and say Hi on Tumblr - https://itspixelbitch.tumblr.com/ and https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/

[](https://imgur.com/bOs5A27)

“Ben! Ben, wake up!”

He found himself being shaken roughly, Rey’s small hands on his shoulder moving his body and rousing him not too gently from the blissful sleep he was having. Ben groaned, grabbing the edge of their duvet and pulling it over his head. Why was she _so_ awake?

“Come on Ben, it’s Christmas!” Rey squealed excitedly, “Wake up!”

His hand emerged from under his soft, dark hiding space to grab his phone on the table. She watched with amusement as he pulled it towards him, a rough muffled groan being heard when he realised the time.

Giggling, Rey climbed out of her side of the bed to straddle his body, still hidden by the mound of downy fabric and sheets.

“Sweetheart…I love you more than life itself,” He said, his head still covered, “But it’s six in the morning…on a holiday…”

She gripped the duvet, pulling it down to expose his head and face, his hair falling messily over his bleary, sleep addled brown eyes. She was grinning down at him, her own eyes wide and sparkling with excitement. She began to bounce lightly, the momentum causing the whole mattress to move with her. Combined with the fact he had just been woken rudely from a very deep sleep, the whole experience was making Ben a little seasick.

“But it’s Christmas day and it’s our _first_ Christmas together and I’m too excited to sleep!” she gushed.

He blinked up at her. Ben had assumed this was the kind of wake up call he would receive when they had children, not from his adult mate who, on any regular day, could sleep longer than he did. How wrong he was. Sensing that she wasn’t about to relent any time soon, he sighed, running his hands over his face and rubbing his eyes.

“Okay baby, okay…” he yawned, “But if you could be an angel and put on a pot of coffee? Please…Please coffee…”

She squealed again, kissing him and throwing herself from the bed, skipping off in the direction of the kitchen wearing only a pair of boy shorts and a tank top. Despite his brain still trying to catch up with his body, he grinned, the sight sending a clear message straight to his pelvis.

From the speakers in the living room, he could hear the opening warbling of Maria Carey declaring ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’. Ben groaned, pulling the duvet back over his head.

She was definitely going on his naughty list.

By the time Ben pulled himself from their bed, grabbing a tee shirt to pull over his naked chest, padding through to the kitchen still in his sleeping pants, the smell of bacon was wafting through the apartment. He stood leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, an affectionate smile gracing his face as he watched her dance around in her underwear to whatever God-awful Christmas tune she had selected.

_Merry Christmas to me_

“Finally!” She declared, laying eyes on him, “Merry Christmas handsome!” she grinned, handing him a cup of black coffee, standing on her toes to kiss him.

“Merry Christmas beautiful,” he drawled, still coming to terms with being awake so early.

Christmas mornings for Ben were never an active affair. Usually he had spent so much time working, preparing for the mid-terms after the holidays, that he used the day as a way to catch up on sleep and take his well earned long lie. He would wake up late, catch up on the news then shower and head to his parents.

He did _not_ wake up at 6am and he certainly didn’t dance around his kitchen to Maria Carey.

His eyes boldly looked her slender body up and down, paying close attention to her long legs and ass as she moved, his body and specifically everything below his waist suddenly warming to the idea of being awake. He approached her from behind, his large hands holding her hips firmly as he pressed kisses to the back of her neck. She shivered, feeling his teeth graze her skin and his morning erection pressed firmly against her ass.

“Looks like someone is finally awake,” She grinned, continuing to prepare the food in front of her, purposely not turning to face him.

He continued to nuzzle at her neck, his tongue tracing her glands, his thumbs rubbing circles against her hips. It wasn’t easy to ignore him, especially having his imposing body with his delicious scent so close. With difficultly, she suppressed a gasp as a hand drifted up her top, rolling a nipple between his finger. He growled low in his throat.

“You know, it’s Jesus’ birthday…all that pawing his highly inappropriate Ben,” she joked, attempting levity but her voice was rough, her breathing hitched.

She squealed with laughter as he suddenly spun her around, throwing her over his shoulder as if she was no more than a duffel bag and depositing her on their sofa. He leaned over her with a wolfish grin.

“You know, I’m pretty sure he’s okay with it,” he said, his lips attacking her neck, licking and biting, drawing breathy moans from her as he moved down her body, “Now, let’s see if I can make you take the lords name in vain, shall we?”

She giggled as he returned to his path, his mouth latching onto her nipple and sucking through the fabric of her tank top, the heat and friction making her moan in anticipation. The things this man did to her. She never tired of his attentions, still in awe of the fact he was her Alpha, practically made to be her mate.

He pressed kisses to her naked stomach, his mouth stopping at the hem of her panties, grabbing the fabric with his teeth as he growled. Fuck, she hadn’t seen anything so sexy in her whole life as he roughly pulled the garment from her, the sound of tearing making her glad that they weren’t expensive.

Even if they were, who the hell cared?

“So, let’s see, are you naughty or nice?” he drawled in a low rumble that made Rey suddenly very glad she was lying down since she had lost control of her limbs, his voice turning her to putty in his hands.

His hands pushed her thighs apart, moving the last of the torn fabric out of the way. She was soaking for him, panting in anticipation and loving every minute of his torturous teasing.

“You woke your Alpha at 6am,” he said before he flicked the tip of his tongue over her sensitive clit, a strangled cry escaping her. He smirked up at her, revelling in her taste and scent, “So that puts you on the naughty list,”

Moving forward again, he licked a burning stripe from her entrance all the way to the throbbing bundle of nerves, latching on and sucking. She keened from the sofa, her back arching at the sensation.

“But you did make me coffee,” he continued, “So that gives you some weight for getting you back on the nice list…”

Every time he broke away to speak, her drenched core ached with the absence of him, the sudden withdrawal causing a painful need to be fulfilled and she whined.

“However, and possibly worst of all, you were playing Maria in this household…and that will not stand,” he growled playfully, “I’m afraid it’s the naughty list for you!”

He crawled up her body, catching her lip with his teeth and she smiled against him, hoping that he knew just how much she was loving his attentions. He grabbed her hips, turning her over onto her front, bending her over the sofa, his hands finding the apex of her thighs. He bit his lip, feeling how wet she was for him.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you liked being on the naughty list,” he teased, “Whatever would Santa think?”

Shedding his pants, he allowed his throbbing erection free, grinding himself through her saturated lips. She groaned at the friction, the heat of him sending little shocks from her clit, along her hips and tailbone.

“Fuck…Ben, please…please stop teasing me!” She groaned. He was torn between giving her what she wanted and continuing his teasing, but he was sure if he continued the way he was going, he would cum before he even got a chance, she was so hot around him already.

“Language sweetheart,” he said, his breathing shallow with the feel of her, “This is a Christian holiday after all…”

“Solo…” she growled, growing impatient. He chuckled at her expense, slowly pushing into her with a long, drawn out groan.

His grip was bruising as he held her hips tightly, thrusting into her with abandon and she moaned loudly each time he sunk himself to the hilt in her tight heat. She felt the sting of his hand as it connected with her ass, not as hard as he had spanked her in the past, but solid enough that she knew there would be a handprint and the sharp pain mixed with the pleasure building in her made her eyes flutter.

“Oh God…I’m so close…” she gasped, his fingers finding her and giving her exactly what she needed as his thumb flicked her clit, the dual sensations driving her closer and closer to the edge.

The feel of his knot steadily expanding was the tipping point, Ben following closely behind her with a rough shout as his release left him. He carefully folded forward over her body, kissing every inch of exposed skin he could find, and he wrapped his arms around her to settle them in a more comfortable position while his knot locked them in place.

“See…now wasn’t that worth getting up early for?” she sighed happily, reaching back to stroke his face. He smiled lazily, catching her hand with his lips.

“I told you I could make you take the lords name in vain…”

00000

Breakfast had to be remade after the pair had discovered the bacon had been burned to an unrecognisable husk, Ben’s coffee abandoned to cool past the point of redemption.

In the light of their leaning Christmas tree, they exchanged gifts. Rey had given Ben a Rolex watch that was far more expensive than he knew she could realistically afford with her student grants. He had wanted to chastise her for overspending, but it was clear she was proud of her choice and who was he to spoil her moment.

Rey in return had been thrilled with the books he had found her almost as much as she had the selection of MAC make-up and clothes. She had almost refused one of his more extravagant gifts in the form of Louboutin black peep-toed heels, telling him that it was far too much. That was until she tried them on.

“You’re my mate and we’ve had a hell of a time. Let me indulge you,” Ben had told her when she had tried to insist he had spent too much money.

After all they had been through in the past few weeks, seeing her smile was worth any price to him.

Soon after, they both showered and changed, loading Ben’s car for the drive to his parents. More than once he patted the chest pocket of his wool coat, checking that the little velvet box was still there.

“What are you doing?” Rey asked, “You keep patting yourself down, have you lost something?”

“Huh? Oh…no, just checking I’ve got my cell phone,” he muttered absently. Rey nodded slowly, her brow raised.

She didn’t believe him. It was rare she ever saw Ben flustered, truly flustered. He always had things so together and it was strange to see him positively out of sorts.

The drive was uneventful and smooth, Rey delighting in torturing Ben by continuing her karaoke session from the morning, turning the radio up and singing along. All he could do was laugh along with her, his cheek sore from grinning at his girl.

“Wow, you…weren’t kidding about the display!” Rey exclaimed as they got out of the car.

The Thanksgiving display was a distant, subtle memory in comparison to the Organa-Solo Christmas decorations. The whole house was lined in coloured lights, the front porch decked out with trees, giant presents, reindeer and snowmen. The path to the front door was lined in candy canes and a large holly wreath decorated the front of the door.

“I did tell you,” Ben said, “My Mom goes extra for the holidays,”

As they approached hand in hand, the front door was thrown open to reveal an ecstatic Leia, dressed in a bright red Christmas sweater with a huge Santa face on the front. Behind her was a smiling, but less enthusiastic Han, wearing a green sweater complete with Rudolph.

“There they are!” Leia cried, “Merry Christmas! It’s so good to see you, Rey you look wonderful!” She gushed, pulling the girl into a warm hug and kissing her cheeks.

The last time Han and Leia had seen Rey, she had been recovering in the hospital. Rey had never been so grateful to the woman when she had shooed the men from the room, giving them an hour alone to talk. She had been so patient, letting Rey cry out her grief, simply holding her hands and offering no input or judgement. She had been what Rey had sorely needed; a Mother figure.

“Nice sweater Dad,” Ben grinned as they walked inside. Han glared at him with a wry smile.

“Just wait kiddo, your Mom has two waiting for you and your girl as well. Don’t think you’re escaping this!” he said pointing at his Son to emphasise his point. He held Ben by the shoulder, pulling him off to the side while Leia chatted to Rey.

“Did you take care of things?” he said quietly. Ben’s eye flicked to the ladies, checking they were out of earshot.

“It’s Christmas, let’s not talk about this now…” Ben whispered firmly, “But…yeah, I did,” Han nodded proudly.

“Good,” he said, “Bastard had it coming,” He raised his voice, so the women could hear him, “Now, let’s get you two settled and get you something to drink. It’s freezing outside!”

Leia lead them into the living room, the beautiful space almost engulfed by the huge tree, decorated in traditional red and gold, elegantly wrapped parcels sitting at the base. The whole room smelled of cinnamon, fir and vanilla as the open fire roared.

To Rey’s horror, she felt tears pricking at the back of her eyes and she sniffed them back.

“Hey, are you okay?” Ben asked in concern while his Mother and Father disappeared. Rey hastily wiped her eyes, smiling up at him.

“Yeah, oh…yeah! It’s stupid…”

“Nothing you say could ever be stupid,” he insisted, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into his chest.

“I’ve just never had a Christmas like this,” she said quietly, “It’s kind of overwhelming,”

As a child she had always imagined what it would be like to wake up on Christmas morning, to run through to a beautifully decorated room with excitement, to be greeting with hugs and kissed from a family that loved her. She had spent her childhood going through foster care, waking up with other kids in a cheaply decorated home, being given an impersonalised gift. Ben had given her more than just a mate for life, he had given her the family she had always wanted and the safety she had always pretended she could do without.

Ben wasn’t really sure what to say. He knew she hadn’t had a happy upbringing, they had spoken about it at great length and he had promised himself that he would spend the rest of her life making up for it. Instead, he held her close, kissing her softly.

“Merry Christmas Rey,” he said against her lips and she beamed up at him.

“Merry Christmas Ben,”

“Come on you two, the day has barely begun and I gotta put up with you two sucking face?” Han jested, entering the room with two steaming mugs of hot mulled cider. Leia followed behind him, a sweater in each hand.

“Put these on!” she grinned, “Ben stop groaning, you know it’s tradition!”

He rolled his eyes but continued to smile pulling the jumper on over his head, a happy snowman with a 3D scarf on the front. Much to his amusement, Rey’s jumper was identical, the dark green base the only thing separating them from his navy blue.

“Don’t you two look adorable! Oh, I’m so excited!” Leia gushed, “Now, Luke and the others will be here soon! Han, why don’t you and Rey sort through the presents for everyone while Ben helps me in the kitchen,”

Obediently, because who could deny Leia Organa-Solo anything when she asked, Ben followed his Mother into the riotous kitchen, food and drink over almost every expanse of the work tops.

“I know you don’t need my help Mom…”

“And what makes you say that dear?” she smiled at him knowingly and he levelled her with a look.

“Because I know you and the ‘help me in the kitchen’ bit has been going on since I could comprehend speech,” he said, “What do you want to talk to me about?”

“Have you asked her yet?”

“Asked her what?”

“Ben…”

_God. Damn. It._

He sighed, running his hands through his hair. Of course, his Mother would have been able to guess his plans. Was he really so obvious?

“How did you know then?” He drawled, and she smiled at him, an amused twinkle in her eyes.

“Well you were patting the chest of your coat as you walked in, so I guessed there was either a ring in there or you were having a very mild heart attack,”

“The day is still young…”

“So, where? When?” she asked, turning her attention back to the large pot that was bubbling on the stove.

“Probably...later,” he said, “And certainly _not_ in front of the family…she doesn’t need that kind of pressure,”

“Oh Ben, do you really think she’s going to say no?” Leia said incredulously, “She’s your _mate_. You’re practically married already!” Ben sighed awkwardly.

“Look, the past month has been intense…I want to do this right, I don’t want to put any pressure on her. I don’t want her to think I’m only asking because of…what happened…”

“I know Son,” Leia said gently, approaching her boy, “You know, your Father and I are so proud of you. The way you’ve dealt with everything, I know how hard it’s been on you and Rey but the way you’ve supported that girl…we couldn’t be prouder of the man you’ve turned into,”

Ben smiled at his mother bashfully. For all they had their problems in the past, it was something he hadn’t known he had needed to hear.

“Thanks Mom,” he said sincerely, “I love you,”

“I love you too Son,” She said, patting his cheek, “Now, carry this through and put it on the table for me,” she handed him a large plate of mince tarts and gingerbread, turning him around and gently pushing him back towards the living room where he found Rey and Han surrounded by boxes on the floor with Luke, Chewie and Lando sitting on the sofas.

“Merry Christmas kid!” Lando greeted, “Nice sweater!”

“Laugh it up, it’s happening to you too…” Ben drawled, placing the plate down. Lando paled, the smile dropping from his face.

Rey had never seen anything like the present unwrapping that took place in the Organa-Solo household. She had assumed everyone would take turns, watching each person open their presents and react accordingly. Instead, everyone opened their gifts at the same time, a riot of noise and paper and ribbons. Shouts of ‘Thank you!’ and laughter being heard over the sound of ripping boxes.

Leia and Han had been exceptionally generous with their gifts, giving Rey a cashmere sweater, a beautiful pair of earrings and a set of Montblac pens that Rey was certain cost more than her rent. The best present of all came in the form of an invitation, a letter written to Rey from Brown University, inviting her to come along with Leia for a tour of their Omega research facilities.

“I know you don’t want any special treatment,” Leia said with a smile, “And I’m not going to force anyone to give you a job, but I thought you might like to actually see the labs, maybe network a little?”

When the gift giving was over, Rey had helped Leia gather the discarded wrappings into a trash bag before they left the room to help set the dining table.

“So…have you asked her yet?” Lando said grinning, leaning forward on his knees. Ben blinked up at him open mouthed.

“Holy shit, do all of you know? How?!”

“Your Mother told us,” Luke shrugged, and Ben rolled his eyes.

“Of course she did…”

“I take it you haven’t asked yet then?” Han continued, and Ben shook his head.

“If I had you guys would already know,” he said, “I’m doing this right…that means not in front of any of you!”

“I remember asking your Mother,” Han said, “I was terrified. Omega or otherwise, that woman is a force of nature…just like yours…I had to ask three times,”

“Not helping my confidence here Dad…” Han laughed.

“But that’s your Mom, not Rey…I don’t think you have anything to worry about Son,” Han said, “Do you still have the ring?”

Ben patted his jeans pocket.

“Got it,” he confirmed, “I just need to make it through…”

“Lunch everyone! Come and take your seats!”

00000

Unlike Thanksgiving dinner, Ben had managed to make it through Christmas lunch without choking on his food.

Possibly because, on this occasion, his mate was keeping her hands to herself save for the occasional squeeze on his knee, or it was possibly because he was so nervous that he had suddenly lost his appetite. He patted the ring in his pocket.

_Still there_

What if she said no? What if she thought he was only asking her because of their recent loss and he was just trying to give her something else? They were mated for life, there was no question, but the idea of her turning him down was something that caused a dull ache to bloom in his chest. This bright, beautiful girl had become his whole life, filling a void that had been dormant for so long he had assumed it was never meant to be filled.

“You okay?” she whispered to him among the chatter of the table. His eyes snapped to hers and he smiled reassuringly.

“Yeah…yeah sweetheart I’m great,” he assured, picking up his fork again and shuffling his potatoes around his plate.

Idly, he wondered if his Mother would keep him some leftovers for when his stomach was able to handle more than a few bites.

Mercifully, the conversation shifted to the discussion of Ben’s book and how his writing was coming along. Good. This was a subject he knew well enough to talk about without distraction, something that would pull him from the impending question that was looming in his mind. Rey sat proudly listening to him enthusiastically bounce ideas back and forth with his Mother, Leia happily giving her opinions on the matter.

As lunch ended and Han began to clear the table, Ben disappeared, returning with Rey and his coats.

“Come on,” he said smiling, hiding how his hands were trembling slightly, “Let’s go a walk,”

“Now?” Rey questioned, looking between him and the coat, “What about dessert?”

“We can get some when we come back. My Mom will understand,” he said, helping her on with her coat, “I have one more present for you,”

They left the house via the backdoor, their boots crunching on the frozen snow as he lead her towards the park trails they had walked during Thanksgiving.

“Ben Solo, are you taking me back to that little boathouse?” She teased as they walked hand in hand, “Because I’ll have you know I behaved myself this time!” He chuckled lightly, his free hand patting his pocket.

“Not this time sweetheart,” he said, “But it’s not far,”

They continued to walk in companionable silence, hand in hand through the peaceful winter wonderland that the snow had created. Ben’s hands were still trembling, try as he did to control his nerves. Her scent was everywhere mingled with the fresh cold air.

_Come on Alpha. Time to be brave._

They arrived at the lake, having approached from another side. In the distance Rey could see the boathouse, useless now most of the lake had frozen over. The ice didn’t look solid enough to walk on, but it bathed the whole landscape in an ethereal glow. In the distance she could see the coloured lights of decorated homes and trees, shining in the dimming light of the late afternoon. The whole place looked like a Christmas card.

“This place Ben, it’s so beautiful,” she sighed, staring out over the horizon.

He pushed his hands into his pocket, pulling out the box and hiding it in his palm. Tugging on her hand slightly, he pulled her to look at him.

“Rey, I love you,” he said softly, “Literally, from the moment I laid eyes on you, from the second I scented you I knew that you were who I’d been missing for the longest time. I can’t imagine my life without you in it,”

She watched with wide eyes, breathless as he sunk to one knee, her heart beating wilding in her chest.

“You’re my mate, but I also want you to be my wife,” he said, his voice breaking, “Rey, will you marry me?”

Any trepidation he had felt was erased by the glowing smile on her face, tears shining in her eyes as she threw herself at him, knocking them both into the snow on the ground. He couldn’t care, the cold was nothing in comparison to the bliss he felt having her in his arms as she kissed him.

“Yes,” she breathed against him, “Yes, I’ll marry you!”

“Good, because now I get to give you this,” he grinned, opening the box. She gasped at the sight of the ring, watching in stunned awe as he slid it onto her finger. It fit perfectly. She kissed him deeply, the snow and cold flushing their skin.

“We’re getting soaked,” she whispered, smiling down at him from her place on his chest.

Even as he felt the damp begin to soak through his coat to his ridiculous festive sweater, Ben couldn’t bring himself to care. She was going to be his wife.

_MateMateMate_

_Wife_


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So after some thinking and planning, there are definitely going to be some more chapters to come for this story to come full circle of where I'd like it to end. 
> 
> Basically, I just want my babies to have more happiness ;)
> 
> Fully aware also that my little AU Harvard isn't following an American style class schedule. That'll be because I'm not American and, of my own admission, I didn't look into that enough cause I was too excited about writing the relationships between the characters (Oh, and the smut...)

[](https://imgur.com/jBSFjiX)

Much like Thanksgiving, the Christmas holidays had flown in far too quickly for Ben and on the morning he was due to return to work he found himself seriously questioning if it was worth it.

Rey had reminded him patiently that he did, in fact, love his job, he loved his students and if she had to get up and head to campus then he did too. He couldn’t help that they had spent two blissful weeks together, hidden away from everyone and he wasn’t quite ready to share his mate, his _fiancée_ , with the rest of the world yet.

Well, except his parents.

When they had returned to the house that Chirstmas afternoon, soaked to the skin and radiating incandescent happiness, they had found everyone waiting for them at the backdoor. Not one of them, save for Han, had even tried to hide the fact they knew what was happening and when Rey had lifted her hand to show off her new pale sapphire and diamond engagement ring, they had broken into screams of excitement. The rest of their Christmas day had been a whirlwind of congratulations, celebratory drinks and Leia trying to coax wedding plans out of them.

If his Mother had her way, they would be having a huge wedding. All white and flowers and fuss, but Ben knew that’s not what Rey really wanted. In the quiet darkness of the night, when she was curled against his chest, she confessed that she wanted something small. Intimate. Close friends and family only because their marriage wasn’t really for anyone else but them.

To Ben, the thought was perfect.

The sun beat down on the Cambridge streets adding a bright glow to the otherwise freezing temperatures and they walked hand in hand without a care in the world towards the campus, only releasing when they arrived at the gates, stealing one last heated kiss before they separated.

It was a source of frustration to Ben, the fact that they still had to abide by the rules the University had set in place what felt like a lifetime ago, but life or death situations aside, as far as the legal department were concerned nothing had changed in that regard. Rey was still registered as a student and Ben was still a Professor and that meant playing the game, as Holdo had once put it.

Like wildfire, their story had spread through the campus, gaining an almost fairy tale like reputation. Girls swooned and sighed when they recited the story to one another, Rey thinking to herself that the real story, while still on the verge of romantic, was far less polished.

“Did you hear about Rey Jackson and Professor Solo? They’re soulmated! How cute is that?!”

“I heard that he didn’t leave her side once after her accident,”

“It’s so romantic! I wish I was an Omega!”

_Hmm._

To her credit, Rey took it all in her stride. She supposed that having people treat your relationship like it was a modern-day Shakespeare play was better than hearing snide comments and having people insinuate that she was only sleeping with him to better her grades.

Not that she could, he wasn’t allowed to grade anything with her name on it.

Now when she walked through campus, people greeted her with warm smiles, welcoming her back and telling her how great she looked. Anyone who spied the ring offered their gushing congratulations. Even if they didn’t really mean it, Rey couldn’t bring herself to care.

“Urgh, people are so fake!” Rose sneered, sipping at her take out coffee, “Only a few weeks ago they were trashing you and pro-so and now, one near fatal crash later, and you two are like some kind of Romeo and Juliet?! People are the worst!”

“I know,” Rey sighed, “But what other people think of us is none of our business. At least that’s what I’m telling myself, it makes things easier to deal with. Besides, exams are coming up. Soon everyone will be too busy having existential crises to bother,”

“True story,” Rose agreed, “Are you prepared?” Rey sighed, sipping her own coffee and shivering as a cold breeze cut through them.

“As much as I can be,” she said, “I’ve been doing extra credit work with Professor Erso in the labs and I’ve been studying as much as I can,”

“Has Ben been helping you?” Rey shook her head.

“No, but it’s not that he’s not been trying to,” she said with a wry smile, “In fact, I think it’s frustrating him that I won’t accept it, but…it’s important to me that I do this on my own. I want to earn my grades on my own. It doesn’t matter what everyone else thinks, if I know I put the work in and earned it then I can graduate happy,”

“Can you believe it’s only a few months until graduation?” Rose said, “What do you think you’ll do after?”

“Sleep for a year?” Rey quipped, “Honestly, I don’t know…I’ve not really thought about it. The idea of carrying on to a masters right now makes me feel a bit sick. Graduation, wedding…sleep. That…is my plan!” she laughed.

“I can’t believe you guys are getting married,” Rose said enthusiastically, “Let me see the ring again!”

Rey held out her hand, the rose gold and gems sparkling in the sunlight. Rose sighed dreamily.

“Man, I want one of those…actually, wait, I should probably get me a man first,” she said, “You know what, scratch that…I’m going to graduate, get a kick ass job and buy one for myself!”

“A very good plan,” Rey declared proudly, “However, we’re not going to graduate if we don’t get to class. Come on,”

Rey pushed herself up from the bench, grabbing her friends hand and, arm in arm in the winter sun, they marched through the quad towards their lecture.

00000

Ben was never really sure how he was regarded by his students.

Some of them thought he was strict, how hard he would come down on people messing around and not taking his class seriously. In actual fact, it was his passion for his chosen subject that drove him to be that way and he held the opinion that if you weren’t going to take it seriously and listen then there was no point in him trying to teach you.

However, he always encouraged free discussion in his classes, ideas and opinions being bounced around. It was what helped science progress, after all.

When he arrived in his office on his first morning back, he had been met with a huge gift basket on his desk with a large card that read ‘Welcome Back Professor Solo!’. Either he was far better liked as a teacher than he had assumed, or his students had really hated being taught by Hux.

Perhaps it was both?

He swallowed back the lump that rose in his throat at the gesture, the large card covered in names and messages, so many there was barely any space left. Some were just names, others had written a personal message.

More than one person had used the nickname ‘Pro-So’.

_God damn you, Tico._

What touched him most was that more than one person had written their message, not just to him, but to Rey as well. Obviously, the campus being the hotbed of gossip that it was, his students knew exactly why he had taken leave. They weren’t stupid. They knew about his relationship with Rey and all about her accident. The subtle gesture made him smile.

A knock on his door made him look up from the card and he smiled warmly to see Amilyn Holdo at his door, two cups of coffee in her hand.

“Ben!” she greeted, “It’s so good to see you back!”

“Good morning, Amilyn” He said accepting the coffee from her, “Thank you!”

“And I hear congratulations are in order?” She winked. Ben checked his watch.

“Wow, I’ve been back…two hours,” he said lightly, “News travels fast! Don’t tell me there’s a lecture coming about University policy?” She grinned and shook her head.

“Not today,” she replied, “Congratulations, I’m so happy for you two! What are your plans?”

“We’ll wait until after Rey graduates,” he said, “There’s plenty of time and I know she’d rather focus on getting her degree first,” Holdo nodded with satisfaction, smiling proudly.

“Smart girl,” she said, “Listen, I know you’re going to be swamped with exams and submissions coming up, but I have a favour to ask…”

“After everything you’ve done, I’m pretty sure you could ask me for a kidney and I couldn’t say no,” Ben winked, “What can I do for you?”

“I’m going to need you to help me cover Armitage Hux’s classes,” she sighed, “Just until we can get a replacement,”

Ben’s face remained passive, save for the one inquisitive eyebrow he raised. He had suspected that there was a chance Hux wouldn’t return to work after he had paid him a visit.

“I see,” Ben said neutrally, being sure to keep his eyes levelled with Holdo’s.

“It was the strangest thing,” She said, “I suddenly received an email over the holidays that he was resigning from his position effective immediately. No further explanation and nobody has spoken to him since. I believe he mentioned something about work related stress,”

“Very strange,” Ben said.

Holdo kept her face as passive as she could, except for the small lift at the corner of her mouth that Ben returned. She didn’t want to know what had transpired between the men, there was always so much Alpha posturing between the two without a valid reason for violence but from the way Ben had reacted that day in the hall, she knew he was the reason Hux was no longer at Harvard.

“So, as you can imagine with the exams coming up, we’re going to have our hands full…think you’ll be able to handle it?”

“Absolutely,” Ben said happily, “Thanks for the coffee Amilyn,”

“It’s good to have you back, Ben,”

00000

“That was…”

“I know…”

“I mean did you…”

“I did…It was brutal,”

“I never want to sit another exam again…forget the masters…I’m done!” Rose groaned, her forehead falling to the table in front of her.

Rey smirked, picking up her beer and glugging some back.

Their exams had been far more brutal than anyone had anticipated, Rey and Rose celebrating finishing their final paper with a beer. While Ben couldn’t mark her papers, Rey had at least been grateful of his presence in the exam rooms, smiling as he had winked at her and mouthed ‘good luck’ when she took her seat.

Briefly she wondered if there was an unfair advantage to having her mated Alpha’s scent in the room with her. Not that it helped her answer the questions, but it had kept her far calmer than she could remember being in an exam before. She wasn’t about to rock the boat by drawing attention to the fact.

“Cheer up Rose,” Rey said patting her friend on head, “It’s Valentines in a few days!”

Rose groaned again.

“Thank you for reminding me!” She sighed, “Finn will be with Poe and this year, you’ll be with Pro-So…”

“Please just call him Ben…”

“Which means we won’t be having our girl’s night! I mean, I knew this would happen eventually, I just hate this time of year for reminding me that I’m single as fuck!”

Rey could only continue to pat her friend’s head sympathetically, drinking her own beer and enjoying the chance to have some downtime before they made the final push towards graduation.

All day Rey had been subjected to hot flashes. One minute she would be fine then the next she felt like someone had lit a furnace inside her body. She pressed the cold beer bottle to her neck, enjoying the cold glass against her warm skin, sighing at the contact.

The door to the bar opened and Ben walked inside, smirking at the sight of Rose’s head on the table.

“So…final exam went that well then?”

“You!” Rose snapped, her head suddenly coming upright as she glared at him, “You did this to me!”

“I am only one of your Professors Miss Tico,” Ben quipped, “I think you’ll find there are others who deserve that glare you’re hitting me with,”

“Yeah, well…you’re the only one available right now…” She huffed, putting her head back on the table.

Rey smiled at Ben, kissing him in greeting. He pulled away, his face curious and he brought the back of his hand to her neck.

“You’re warm…” he wondered, “Like, really warm…”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been a little hot under the collar all day,” Rey said flippantly, sipping her beer.

Leaning closer to her neck, Ben breathed her in deeply, eliciting a giggle from her. Her scent hit him like an ice-cold wind, shocking his senses and waking every Alpha chromosome in his body.  Something between a growl and a purr emanated from low in his chest and when he pulled back to look at her his pupils were heavily dilated, his breathing deepening the more of her scent he took in, his nostrils flaring. Rey tilted her head at him.

“What?”

“Did you ever start taking your suppressants again?” Ben asked, his voice lower than before. Rey shook her head.

“I was advised against it,” she said, “Mated Omegas don’t really need them…”

“Well, no they don’t…unless they want to…”

“Heat cycle,” Rey finished for him, putting down her beer bottle, “I’m going into heat,”

“You are,” Ben confirmed, his hands running over her waist and hips, “I can smell it on you,” Rey held his hands still.

“Ben, I know you can’t help it…I can feel you starting already, but please remember we’re in public,” she quipped, “You can’t paw at me, especially when I’ve not fully started yet,”

“Yes, please don’t maul my friend in front of me,” Rose said, lifting her head from the table. Ben had enough wherewithal to look embarrassed. He had completely forgotten that Rose was there.

“Um…right, sorry,” He muttered sheepishly, “Heat…”

“Well…at least it’ll make from memorable valentines,” Rose said, “You lucky…”

“Rose…”

“I know, I know!” She moaned, “Urgh, maybe I’ll try Tinder or something,”

“I’d like to think I have at least a few days before it hits anyway,” Rey shrugged. She at least hoped she had a few days. At least this time she was going into things well prepared and with a mate who could take care of her as opposed to the agony of seeing out her heat alone.

“You really think so?” Ben asked, his eyebrow raised and his eyes sceptical. Rey nodded.

“Sure, the last time I felt like this Poe told me I had at least 3 or 4 days,” She said. Much to her surprise it was Rose who let out the barking laugh.

“Yeah and look how that turned out!” she said, “Barely 24 hours later you were climbing the walls and crying your eyes out!”

Ben frowned. He remembered vividly the state he found Rey in the last time and it wasn’t an experience he wanted to repeat.

“Never the less,” He said patiently, “I’ll put in our heat leave to Holdo, shouldn’t last so long this time,”

“Why?” Rose piped up and Ben huffed.

“I swear, it’s like nobody pays attention in my class…” He said wryly, “Mated pairs, especially HFSC pairs have an easier time of things. Heats aren’t as painful, they don’t last as long provided their mate is with them. It was literally a question in the exam Rose…”

“ _Anyway_ ,” Rey cut in, “Are you sure Holdo will be fine with us taking some time off? We only came back in January?”

“She’ll have to be. It’s the law,” he said simply, “and even if you wanted to, it’s too late to stop it now. Suppressants won’t do anything. Just going to have to ride it out sweetheart,”

“Or ride you out…”

“Gross guys,” Rose moaned, “I’m right here…”

“Oh, hurry up and download Tinder,” Rey joked, balling up her torn bottle label and throwing it at her friend.

The door to the bar opened, bringing the cold air with it and they turned to see who was approaching them. Under her hands, Rey could feel Ben’s shoulders tense as Poe and Finn approached.

“Hey guys,” Poe said, suddenly pausing at the group, his expression turning pensive as he eyed Ben. While Finn and Rose watched on looking confused, Rey couldn’t stop the compulsion she had to move closer to Ben, tucking herself behind his back.

_What the hell am I doing? It’s Poe! Stop it stupid Omega body_

“Okay…mind telling me why everything has gone all…western standoff?” Finn said, “Because I came for a peaceful drink, not Alpha posturing…I thought you two were way past all that?”

Poe lifted his chin with an understanding nod.

“Sorry,” Ben said tightly, “It’s not on purpose. It’s…”

“It’s an Alpha thing,” Poe finished for him, “Guess I’ll be staying away from your apartment for the next week?”

Rey sighed. While she had been enjoying her drink with Rose and was looking forward to seeing Poe and Finn, if she was going into heat, there was no way Ben could be around Poe. Friends or not, when their biology started to take over, Poe was just another unmated Alpha around Ben’s mate. The memory of Poe turning up to her apartment to check on her, how upset Ben had become, was still etched in her memory.

“Come on big guy,” Rey said affectionately, her hand rubbing the back of his tense neck, “Why don’t we head home? I’ll call you guys later!”

Almost as soon as the fresh air had hit him, and he had Rey’s hand tucked safely in his, Ben had relaxed but his mood had dulled somewhat. What the hell was that back there?

He frowned to himself in frustration. He knew exactly what it was, he knew the science and the theory and, hell, he knew first hand what it felt like. That strange compulsion that took over your body, every cell being forced to react, even if you didn’t want it to. Never mind that it was the 21st century and he was a modern, well-educated man.

One sniff of another Alpha around his mate in heat and Ben turned into nothing more than his genes.

“Hey,” Rey said softly as they walked, “You okay? You’ve been awfully quiet since we left,”

“Yeah sweetheart, I’m fine,” he sighed, “Just…I hate that I react like that,”

“Like what?”

“Like I was barely keeping it together when Poe walked in,” he said, “All because he was near you and you’re about to cycle. You shouldn’t have to give up your night because my hormones can’t handle it…”

Rey tugged his hand to a stop, pulling him to look at her.

“Ben, come on, it’s not just you,” she said calmly, “And you know for a fact that it’s not. Poe understands and it’s not like my body was reacting any better! My friends get it, okay? I love you the way you are, crazy Alpha hormones and all,”

He smiled into her kiss, her scent enveloping him and reminding him that everything was fine. His mate was with him, she was safe and there was no need to go postal on a stranger.

_MateMateMate_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very transitional chapter with some time jumps between the breaks. I felt like I had to use this chapter as a stepping platform for our characters moving into the New Year after everything that had happened to them before Christmas.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's baffling me how much you guys love this story. Thank you!
> 
> As some of you know, I'm very into Piano music, especially when I'm writing (I can't listen to anything with lyrics. It puts me off!) and while I was listening to a mix I stumbled upon this stunning piece which, like the giant romantic I am, I have officially named it 'Rey and Ben's Theme' - If you're into that kind of thing, have a listen. It's beautiful and instantly made me think of my version of the couple: https://youtu.be/y4y0JkupPrY

[](https://imgur.com/hvjrppN)

“Okay, the fridge is full of meals, there’s lots of bottled water in there too and just in case you guys really want to turn into trash lords the pantry is stocked with pop tarts, oreos and twinkies,” Rose explained as Rey walked her to their door, “Is there anything else I can get you?”

“Honestly, Rose, you didn’t even have to do any of this,” Rey insisted, “but we really appreciate it, thank you!”

The first time Rey had gone into an adult heat properly was in her first year at Harvard while she was roommates with Rose. She had been so anxious about the experience and despite knowing the physicality involved, Rey had never really investigated the best way to look after herself. When Rose had found her crying about what was about to happen, the smaller girl had jumped into action, buying her supplies to last her the week and assuring Rey that she would be there for any emergencies.

Since then, even though they had been few and far between thanks to Rey’s obsessive suppressant taking, Rose had always been there.

“Well hey, I know you might not need me as much this time around but indulge me,” she smiled, “What are the rules Ben?” she called from the front door. Ben’s head appeared from the hallway that lead towards their bedroom.

“Call 911 _then_ call you,” he recited dutifully. She nodded in satisfaction with a smile.

“Good man! Alright, time for me to leave you crazy kids to it. Try to behave, don’t upset your neighbours and burn your sheets when you’re done!”

Rey hugged her friend goodbye, closing and locking the door behind her. She exhaled slowly, feeling the hormones of her heat as it began to grip her body. Her eyes felt heavy, a strange contrast to the lightness she felt in her head. It wasn’t until she stumbled backwards into Ben’s arms that she even realised she had been swaying. He held her tightly, his chest solid against her back as he took her weight.

“I got you sweetheart,” he mumbled against her temple, “Come on, bed for you,”

He carefully walked her towards their bed, Rey in a haze of building hormones combined with the scent of her mate and the warmth of his body.

_Alpha. Let Alpha take care of you._

The impulses running through Ben’s blood were unexpected to him. He had told Rey he had never been with another Omega and it was true, and while he knew the theory like the back of his hand, the texts only mentioned the possession and immense sexual need that took over an Alpha when an Omega was in heat.

Rey was only in the first stages of her heat, when her body would flood with fluctuating hormones causing her to need somewhere quiet to rest before the inevitable explosion of violent need and lust. Ben felt the opposite, his body was alert, primed to watch over her while she was defenceless, his instincts telling him to maim anyone who came within 10 feet of them.

She whimpered quietly as he put her to bed, the loss of his heat causing her nerves to tingle and her brain to instantly feel like there was cause for panic. As quickly as he could, Ben returned, placing two bottles of water on the bedside table before stripping his clothes and climbing under the sheets next to her, pulling her against his naked skin.

She stilled, her body sagging against him as he crooned deep in his chest, the low vibrations soothing her ragged edges and setting a constant reminder than her mate was with her. It never ceased to amaze her just how secure having him nearby made her feel, especially when she was so vulnerable. He nuzzled at her neck naturally, running his scent glands along hers, the flat of his tongue against the soft skin of her pulse.

_Go to sleep Omega. I’m here. I’m always here._

As she gave in to the warmth and the dark, Rey could feel his tongue and kiss against her mating mark and his deep, Alpha voice, telling her that he loved her.

00000

Warmth.

No, not warmth.

Blazing, searing heat.

Rey woke with a gasp, her throat suddenly raw while her chest felt like it was burning from the inside right through to her tingling skin. Her breathing was heavy, gasping for something, anything to take the ache that was building rapidly in her gut away. Nothing in contact with her body felt right, the touch of her clothes that were already damp with sweat and slick, the sheets on the bed, all of it was beginning to scald her and she whined, her body writhing, trying to find comfort and relief from how empty she felt.

“Shh. I’ve got you…I’m here,”

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

Suddenly he was on her, his hands gently peeling the sticky clothes from her body. His skin against hers was the only thing that didn’t burn, soothing ever part that his fingers danced over. She gazed up at his face. While his words were comforting and controlled, his expression didn’t match his tone.

His pupils were blown wide, his eyes onyx black in the dull light of the room. His nostrils flared wildly as he inhaled her scent, holding her body still by wrapping his leg around hers to pull her thighs apart.

“You’re so ready,” he growled softly, running his hand down her body to palm between her thighs. A wicked smile appeared on his face as he felt her slick between his fingers. She was soaked and so warm. She panted beneath him, groaning as she felt him, solid and weeping against her hip.

The pressure was building, anxiety gripping her chest, memories of how distressed her last heat had been until Ben had arrived.

“Please…It hurts, I don’t want that again, not like last time,” she cried, tears pooling in her eyes, falling gently and dampening her lower lashes. He kissed her solidly, the taste of her tongue against his stoking him and soothing him all at the same time.

“You won’t,” he said firmly, “I won’t let that happen. Never again. I’m going to take care of you,”

She nodded shakily in understanding, not trusting anything that came out of her mouth to be anything other than a moan. Her foggy mind couldn’t articulate anything past begs and pleas. Her head rolled back against the pillow, her heavy eyes fluttering closed as he trailed his lips down her neck, nipping at her glands, biting and licking as he continued his path down her body, nuzzling her pubis, her scent setting his senses on fire and sending his instincts into overdrive.

Setting himself between her knees, he stared down at his mate, with open mouthed appreciation. He always thought she was beautiful, but lying before him completely bare, her arousal spiralling as a sheen of sweat glistened over her tanned skin, she was breath taking.

Rey whined again, a pitched mewl and she desperately wanted to grab him by the hair and get him to do something, _anything._ Not that she didn’t find the attention flattering. Any Omega craved their Alpha’s attention and approval but right now, the way her body was screaming to be filled, his awestruck trance was little more than frustration.

_You said you’d take care of me_

“Please… _Please_ , I need my Alpha,” She groaned, “Please fuck me…give me your knot…I need it,”

Her husky voice, begging for him, for her _Alpha_ , brought Ben to his senses, tearing his dark eyes away from her pink, soaked lips and instantly his weight was on her, crushing her in the most delicious way and there, _there_ it was.

They’d had sex more times than Rey could care to count but this, this, was so different. Her slicked walls wrapped around him like a vice, pulling him in and squeezing his solid cock as he moved slowly, pulling out and returning to the hilt with deliberate slowness, savouring every ridge of her.

“Fuck you’re so tight!” He growled, “So tight for your Alpha…”

She was everything. She was the sunset over the Grand Canyon, the calm after heavy rain, the lighthouse in a storm. She was all he could focus on, wrapping around his senses as his fingers twined with hers, her arms pushed above her head.

_MateMateMate_

“Oh God, fuck…you feel so good,” Rey moaned, her breath hot against his ear where his forehead had dropped to her shoulder, “I’m so close…”

His hips snapped against hers with the effort of his sharp thrusts, crashing against her throbbing clit sending shocks along her tailbone that made her cry out each time, his cock so deep as hit home each time.

“Cum for me, Cum for your Alpha,”

A command so primitive, his low voice punctuated with the grunts of his movements, that Rey could feel it with every part of her body and she keened, her back arching but useless to move against the solid weight of his body. She screamed, her head tilting forward and her teeth sinking into the junction between his neck and shoulder so hard she could taste the coppery hint of blood she had drawn combined with the salt of his sweat.

The sharp sensation and her tight, soaked cunt pulsing around him drove Ben to ecstasy, groaning long and low as he came, his knot locking them in place, feeling the gush of his release being pushed deep inside her.

Breathless, he collapsed on her, doing his best to balance his weight on his trembling forearms. Gently, so he didn’t hurt her, he rolled them into the familiar position on their side, Rey’s leg thrown over his hip and she smiled at him with soft eyes, sated and content.

She pushed his damp, messy hair out of his face, kissing him gently, gratefully.

“Hmm sorry about that…” she mumbled.

“About what?”

“I marked you this time,” she said, reaching over and tracing the imprint her teeth had left. He shuddered at the contact, the light sting sending tiny impulses over his skin.

Alpha’s didn’t have mating glands, not really. Ancient rules of dominance passed down from generation to generation saw that Omegas were the ones to be claimed, Alphas generally did the claiming. Ben smiled.

 “I liked it,”

00000

“God Ben!”

He grinned wickedly against her inner thigh, kissing the mark he had just sucked there, moving up her leg with painful, deliberate slowness. She sucked in a breath as he pressed another kiss, slightly higher from the last.

“Please…Please stop teasing me,” she groaned, “You’re not playing fair!”

Rey’s heat was slowly ebbing but not completely abated yet. Her body was still hot and yearning for him, but there was less urgency, and while Ben loved their frantic fuck sessions, this was when he was in his element. Taking his time with her, being sure to pull every groan and gasp he could from her beautiful mouth.

“Oh, I never said I was going to play fair,” he growled, his breath hot against her aching cunt, “I said I was going to make you see stars, I didn’t say how…”

He trailed a hand from her ankle, along her calf and behind the sensitive skin of her knee, his fingers lightly caressing her thigh until he reached her soaked apex, his touch a whisper along her lips and he teased her, never making direct contact. Rey whined, her cunt clenching around nothing but air in frustration, desperate for his cock, his tongue, his fingers, _anything._

She groaned, feeling his mouth move to the soft skin so close to her pussy, _so close_ , licking and nipping as he went, and she growled in frustration.

“What do you want?”

“You _know_ what I want!”

“I do,” He grinned, “But I love hearing you say it,”

His tongue darted out suddenly, flicking her clit once, sending a shockwave through Rey’s body, a strangled gasp escaping her throat.

“Come on Omega, tell your Alpha what you want…”

“I want you to eat my pussy and make me cum so hard I forget how to speak,” she replied, her voice somewhere between a growl and a plea.

Her breath caught as she saw the playing grin on his face morph into something almost sinister, his eyes darkening.

“I’m going to make you cum so hard you’ll be fucking my face and begging for my cock,”

To everyone else, Ben Solo was a polite, well spoken man. Rey knew the truth behind closed doors and hearing him use filthy language with his velvety voice was one of the many ways her Alpha drove her to distraction.

He gripped her thighs, holding her quivering legs apart and finally, _finally,_ he leaned forward, licking a long line from her entrance, through her folds and circling around her throbbing clit. Rey practically sobbed as he finally made contact, his tongue tracing random patterns across the starved bundle of nerves.

“Fuck…oh fuck, Ben…” she groaned, reaching down and fisting his hair. He hissed slightly at the tight contact, but he continued his attentions. He _had_ been the one who had teased her for so long, after all.

“You taste so good…” he moaned against her, “I love eating your cunt,”

She could barely hear him over the blood rushing in her ears. His scent, his voice, his mouth, all setting her body on fire. She gasped as he carefully pushed two fingers into her slick heat, curling them and immediately finding the spot he was looking for, grinning against her as she cried out.

His own cock was throbbing at the sounds she was making for him, the taste of her on his tongue and her scent, his hips moving of their own accord in time to the thrusts of his hand. He wanted her, his rut building. He couldn’t take her, not yet.

“I’m going to…Oh God…Fuck…” She was babbling incoherently, so overwhelmed by the tension, building in her hips. He knew she was close, he had spent so long studying her, learning her body and it’s tells. The way her breath quickened and shallowed, how her eyes would roll back, and flutter closed, her beautiful lips parted as she moaned his name into the darkness.

_There_

Her walls fluttered around his fingers as she came, calling his name breathlessly as he worked her through it, her legs trembling under his hands.

Now. He needed her now. His blood was boiling in his veins, his cock seeking her heat. Quickly, he crawled up her body, capturing her lips in a bruising kiss. He was in full rut, she felt it in the tension of his body, his rapidly fluctuating scent. She nipped at his bottom lip, growling at him with a wicked smile. He could do his worst, she could take it.

“Turn,”

It was a command that she was more than happy to obey, flipping herself to her stomach and before she had even landed on the bed again, he was pulling her hips upward to him and sheathing himself in her to the hilt, groaning through gritted teeth as he did.

“Fuck!” he shouted, pumping her with a punishing pace, his fingers gripping her hips tightly.

He was so big, so deep, his movements practically knocking the air out of her body with every snap of his hips, their moans of pleasure mingling together as she did her best to meet him stroke for stroke.

Without breaking his rhythm, Ben folded forward over her body, his arms bracketing hers as his teeth scraped over the back of her neck, licking the sweat that ran from her hairline.

“You feel so good…you’re so good to me Alpha…” Rey moaned, leaning her head back, exposing the soft skin of her neck and her mating gland.

He was like a wild animal, snarling and panting as he moved, but he nuzzled her mark with tenderness, moving to bite, his teeth hovering over the scar, silently asking permission and only biting down when Rey frantically nodded.

“I’m yours,” she panted, “I’ve always been yours,”

She clenched around him, her body tightening and pulling him to her, her mouth hanging open in a silent scream as she came, feeling him sharply thrust, holding his hips flush against hers as he shouted his release, his knot holding them together.

His arms wrapped around her body instantly, both of them falling to the side on the bed as their erratic, heavy breathing echoed around the room in the aftermath of Ben’s rut. He licked at the mark on her neck gently, now risen and enflamed by his fresh bite, cooling any sting.

“Did I hurt you?” he whispered to her, the haze of hormones and adrenaline lifting. She’d seen him in full rut before, taken him through it, but when the intense need to take his Omega was satisfied, it always worried him that he may have been too rough with her, their size difference being what it was.

Rey smiled tenderly, reaching back and stroking his cheek in reassurance.

“No,” she breathed, “Not one bit Alpha,”

00000

The hours all blended into one another and Rey couldn’t really tell just how long they had been isolating themselves from the world.

She didn’t really care.

All that mattered to her was her Alpha, keeping her safe, driving away any feelings of loss or emptiness.

Sometimes they fucked hard and fast like animals, all growls and bites and nails until they were too exhausted to speak. Other times, it was so slow and tender, like he was taking her apart piece by piece and single handily putting her back together again with his touch, whispering sweet nothings in her ear.

They would talk. They would talk about their upcoming wedding, plans that Rey had. Ben would occasionally give his input, but he didn’t know the first thing about planning a wedding and it was obvious that Rey had some very set ideas about how it should be. Namely, small.

He would tell her how beautiful she was, how loved, how he was never going to let anyone hurt her because she was _his Omega_ and he was _her Alpha_ and the tone of his gentle, deep, voice would be so tender, so sincere that it would make her tremble in his arms.

Mainly, a lot of their time was spent in silence. They would lay next to each other, sometimes kissing, making out like horny teenagers which would always lead to another spike in her heat. They would stare at the other, eyes locked on the other while they both tried to work out how they had found each other when the world was so big.

He would trace patterns on her skin, delighting in drawing giggles from her when his fingers lightly tickled over her ribs. She would stroke his face, feeling his facial hair under the pads of her fingers, his scent spiking at her touch. Her Alpha didn’t define her as a person, or control who she was. He made her better, whole and the idea that could suddenly disappear would become foreign and strange.

_This_

This is what a heat was, she thought to herself as she lay contented in his arms, coming down from another orgasm that had drained the tension from their bodies. It wasn’t all animalistic sex and filthy words, not that she was against that in the slightest because more often than not those moments were _her_ doing and had you _seen_ Ben Solo?

It wasn’t two people who happened to be the correct designation taking out their hormones on the other, it wasn’t the fake as hell porn that circulated on the internet to make up for the lack of Omegas in the world.

It wasn’t every biology class she had ever been in telling her the specifics of how their hormones affected their behaviour and what was _meant_ to happen.

It was this. It was unbridled devotion, it was passion, it was the absence of fear and loneliness, home and belonging so fully to someone that you weren’t sure where you ended, and the other person began. It was finding your mate and never letting them go.

It was love.

And as he licked her mating mark, calling her _his_ Omega, tears of unfiltered bliss ran down her cheeks and Rey knew everything she thought was true.

_MateMateMate_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffiest heat ever? I'll let you decide! Oh my crazy, adorable babies...


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I'm so pleased my fluffier heat was received well! What started out as something kinky to get off my chest has turned into a full-blown ABO Love Story and I'm kind of trying to portray how that might go in a modern world if you get me?
> 
> Anyway, I'm rambling. Comments and Kudos are always crazy appreciated. It makes my day when I wake up to loads of comment emails. 
> 
> Onto, the chapter! Happy Reading!

[](https://imgur.com/pKQ0elJ)

Rey’s heat lasted only a few days in comparison to the full weeks she had to endure before. It was typical, she thought, the greatest heat she had ever had in her life, and thanks to their compatible chemistry, it was shortened.

_Stupid hormones_

In the weeks following, they fell into a routine. The rhythm and familiarity felt comforting to Rey after the tension and drama of the previous year. They lived together, so there was never any discussion about which apartment they would be sleeping in. Their relationship was out in the open to both faculty members and the student body, and while there was still the occasional comment made in Rey’s direction, they were few and far between. It meant that while they still had rules to obey, nobody would look twice if she smiled at him in the corridor or if they walked side by side towards the same building.

Sometimes, Rey did miss the giddy thrill of their relationship being taboo. While she knew it was better that everything was above board in the long run, she did occasionally sneak herself into his office, leaving with new bite marks on her collar bone and more flushed than when she had entered.

It was stress relief. Obviously.

Sometimes she thought about Hux and she realised that while she still harboured so much resentment and anger towards the man for his part in their pain, what she felt for him overall was pity. That someone had so little going on, thought so little of themselves that they would go to any lengths to try and tear another down made her feel a profound sense of sadness.

Ben had never told her the details of his confrontation with Hux but she could guess. He had been on such an Alpha high that his scent was practically stinging the air, sharp and dangerous. A warning to all other Alphas to stay away. Had the man gone to hospital? Or had he stayed at home to lick his wounds? What if he had given in to the guilt and…

No.

It wasn’t good to dwell on something so dark. Not when her life finally felt like it was coming together so perfectly. She had her mate, who would also become her husband by the summer. Her wonderful friends who had done nothing but support her both on her own and in her relationship. A few times, Finn had voiced his concern. He was worried it was all too much, too fast and with everything that had happened, did she really know him as well as she thought?

She did. She felt it deep in her bones, she knew Ben Solo. His physical tells like when his left eye would twitch subtly when he was frustrated, or how he would chew his pen absently while he was deep in thought, how he would maintain a blank poker face as he teased her save for the tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth.

He was passionate about his work, his students but there was a playful side of him that they never got to see. The first time she walked into the living room to find him playing his Xbox she almost dropped her coffee, it seemed so unexpected.

Most of all, he was dominant, strong and Alpha in every sense of the word. The way she had assessed him the first day they had met still stood true but in balance, he was also kind and loyal. He was a mated Alpha and he was _hers._

Poe and Rose were more understanding. Rose because not only was she studying the subject, and using Rey and Ben as a personal project, but also because she spent a lot of time around them and watched them together. Poe understood from a mated Alpha’s perspective, he had never been soulmated, but he remembered how he had felt with Paige and if that pull was anything to go by, he could only imagine how Ben felt. He got it.

The chill in the air was beginning to give way to milder weather as the seasons changed. Grey clouds dissolved into spring sunshine which made sitting in classrooms frustrating. Both Rey and Rose told themselves there was only a little over two months left to go, including finals, then they could graduate.

“I really think I’d like to travel a little,” Rose said happily as they walked towards the bar, “I feel like I haven’t set foot outside of Massachusetts in forever. I’ve got some family in Vietnam that I’d like to see, that might be a good base…Oh, but I promise I’ll be back in time for the wedding!”

Rey smiled at her friend as they walked. She hadn’t been feeling great for the past few days and the fresh air was helping to ease her warm skin and churning stomach. Maybe she was coming down with something?

_Urgh. Great timing body._

Rose continued to talk excitedly about her travel plans, Rey occasionally chiming in when she had something to say or was asked a direct question, but her head was sore, and she was finding it hard to concentrate. It had been the same all week, which made classes a struggle. Her phone buzzed.

_Unknown <I need to talk with you. Please meet me. It’s important.>_

“Who is it?” Rose asked, watching her friends quizzical face. Rey shrugged.

“It doesn’t say. Unknown number,” she mumbled, shoving her phone back in her pocket, “But they said they need to talk to me…”

“Maybe you should call it?”

“Maybe. But not now, I’m not in the mood,” Rey said, nodding in thanks as the bartender put her beer in front of her.

“You know, I didn’t want to say anything, but you don’t look great girl,” Rose said concerned, “Are you sick?” Rey huffed. It was one thing to feel unwell but being told she _looked_ sick was less than flattering.

“I think it’s just a bug…” she muttered flippantly, picking up her beer and taking a swig.

She should have known the moment she smelled it. The hoppy liquid touched her tongue and suddenly a wave of nausea hit her like a freight train, her stomach protesting violently, she couldn’t even swallow. All she could do was sit, holding the beer in her mouth, blinking at the table with watering eyes.

“Rey…you okay?”

No. No she was _not_ okay. Slamming the bottle down, she shoved herself back from the table, the chair scraping loudly on the wooden floor and she sprinted as fast as she could for the nearest restroom, barely making it to the toilet in time before her stomach emptied.

Finally settled, Rey feel back, sitting on the floor as she breathed deeply.

_Okay. It’s over body. Calm down._

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Rose asked, appearing in the door. Rey pulled herself up on shaky legs, stumbling to the sink to rinse her sour mouth.

“That was…not pleasant,” she rasped.

“You know…this has been happening for a while now,” Rose said carefully, “Have you…after…did you get a shot?”

“A what?”

“A shot. Did you get a shot?”

“What kind of shot?” Rey pressed impatiently. Rose shrugged awkwardly.

“Like a birth control shot…for Omegas?” Rose finished, “Remember, at the hospital they told you to go back and get a specific one?”

Rey blinked at her friend, turning her face back to the mirror as she stared at herself dumbfounded. The doctor had told her. That’s how she became pregnant the first time, typical birth control shots didn’t always work for Omegas. She had agreed once she had recovered that she would make an appointment but with everything that had happened…

“No…”

“No?”

“No…I never went to get my shot…”

“It’s the middle of March now…and your last heat with Ben was?” Rey counted backwards in her head.

“About 6 weeks ago,” she breathed.

_Fertility is increased tenfold and almost always results in conception_

The words from Ben’s lecture on soulmates rang around her head, the blood draining from her already pale face.

“Do you think you might be…”

“There…there’s a chance…” Rose smiled wildly at her friend.

“Okay, first thing we need to do…is get you out of here,” Rose said, and Rey could only nod in agreement. The smell of the bar and alcohol was making her stomach turn all over again.

“Second thing, you need to take a test!”

Rey felt a lump rising in her throat, her chest painfully constricted as she nodded slowly in understanding. What if she was pregnant? It was only four months ago they lost the child they didn’t know about. What if Ben wasn’t ready? Was _she_ even ready? Her mind was swimming wildly with conflicting thoughts but somewhere deep inside her Omega instincts was thrilled at the thought of carrying her mate’s baby.

_Seriously. Hormones. Not the time!_

“But…what if…what if I’m not? Or what if I am and Ben doesn’t…what do I do?” Rey began to sob, thick tears rolling down her face. Rose grabbed her friend into a tight hug, rubbing her back.

“Shh,” She soothed, “Calm down. Everything is going to be fine. This is you and Ben, you don’t have anything to worry about…but before we can move forward, you need to take a test okay?”

Rey nodded quietly, rinsing her face and allowing Rose to walk her from the bar to the nearest drug store.

00000

Is the truth universally acknowledged that when you need to pee, for a reason, you suddenly can’t go? For anything.

Rey felt waterlogged. The pair had left the bar, Rose marching them straight to the nearest drug store and grabbing a multipack of pregnancy tests. After she had taken them back to her own apartment, Rey insisting that she didn’t want Ben to find anything until there was something to tell him.

Half an hour and almost a full carton of cranberry juice later, Rey didn’t need to pee, and she wasn’t sure if it was her hormones, her nerves or the sloshing of the juice in her stomach that was making her feel ill.

“Anything?”

“Rose, my body can only process liquids so fast…” Her friend was silent for a beat.

“Do you want a boy or a girl?”

“Rose!”

“Sorry!” Rose whined, “I’m just excited, y’know? I know you roll your eyes at what everyone’s saying but it’s kind of true. You guys are like this perfect little couple and now you’re getting married and…”

Rey held up her hand, cutting her friend off.

“What?”

“…I have to pee,”

Quickly as she could considering her bladder was stinging, Rey leapt to her feet, grabbing the boxes and closing the door to the bathroom behind her. Rose was only a second behind her, listening at the door.

“Do you need help? You want to do it right!” Rose called.

“To pee on a stick? How many ways are there to possibly do that!?”

Holding the test in her hand, Rey closed the lid and sat on the toilet seat, the results facing the floor. It could be anything. She really could just have a stomach bug or a virus that she was struggling to get rid of, or maybe she was stressed with the impending finals around the corner. No, she couldn’t allow herself to get her hopes up. She was still young, they had all the time in the world to have children.

But as she waited, she couldn’t stop the images in her head, making her heart jump in excitement. Her body swelling with life that they created, Ben holding their baby, a child with dark hair and dark eyes and ears that stuck out just slightly. Rey knew it was early, that she was only in her early twenties and was just about to graduate, but she couldn’t deny it was something she wanted.

“Rey? Everything okay in there?”

How long had she been sitting with her own thoughts? Her head snapped up to the door, her friend’s voice bringing her back to the present and holding her breath she turned the stick over.

The tiny plus sign shone out in bright pink against the white of the test. The excitement that Rey had been trying to suppress erupted in her chest along with a bark of hysterical laughter.

Pregnant. She was pregnant.

“What’s happening?!” Rose called through the door, her ear pressed against the wood, “Come on…tell me!”

The smaller girl stumbled backwards when the door was thrown open suddenly, Rey standing with tears in her eyes and a huge smile on her face, holding the test in the air.

00000

Something wasn’t right. Ben could feel it in his gut.

For at least two weeks Rey hadn’t been herself. She was tired, her usually energy didn’t burn as brightly as he was used to, and she complained of headaches, often lying her head in his lap as they sat together on the sofa.

More than once he’d found her feeling nauseous, but when he suggested she saw a doctor, she shrugged it off and said it was probably just a virus that she’d caught and that something was going around campus.

She didn’t smell any different. Her scent was still her own swirled with his own mark which never failed to fill him with a kind of smug pride knowing that any Alpha around her knew that she was already his. It might have seemed arrogant, but he couldn’t help it. It was in his blood.

He had expected her to be home later, the fact the front door opened easily without his key taking him by surprise.

“Rey?”

She had been standing in their bedroom holding the test since she came home, trying to think of the best way to tell him. Did she sit him down and hand him the thing, letting him work it out for himself? Did she just come straight out with it and hope for the best?

Diorama?

Maybe write it on a post-it and stick it to his forehead while he was sleeping?

His voice made her jump unexpectedly and in panic she threw the test, the little pink and white stick bouncing under the bed. She plastered a smile on her face, not that it was difficult given her recent discovery, as he appeared at the door.

“Hey, I thought you’d be out with Rose,” he said smiling as he approached her. She grinned up at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest as she looped her arms around his neck.

“Wasn’t feeling too great,” she shrugged, “So I decided to come home...I didn’t expect you so early either,”

Unconsciously, her eyes continued to dart towards the bed. Ben frowned.

“What…are you looking at?”

“Oh…I dropped my phone under the bed before you came in and I haven’t reached it yet,” she excused, hating how lame it sounded and fighting the incredulous look on her face. She was a Harvard student, surely she should have been better at thinking on her feet? Ben smirked.

“I’ll get it…longer reach and all that,”

_Shit. Shitshitshitshit._

“Oh, no! It’s okay,” she exclaimed frantically, his head already under the bed, “I’ll get it myself. I’m much smaller anyway…”

“I don’t see a…” His sentence trailed off and she knew he had spotted it. The test. The positive pregnancy test.

“Rey…”

“Yeah?”

“Is…is this what I think it is?” he asked, his voice was muffled from under the bed but she could hear the trepidation, his tone an octave higher than his usual low timbre.

“Yes…”

“So…so…you’re…we’re…”

“Pregnant,”

A sudden crack rang out through the room as Ben tried to lift his head quickly, forgetting he was still halfway under the frame, the back of his head colliding with the solid oak and he shouted in pain. Rey winced on his behalf, knowing there was going to be a lump there at the very least and she knelt next to his legs.

“Ben…baby? Are you okay?”

Slowly he shuffled his body backwards from under the bed, the test in his hand, turning himself to sit on the floor, leaning against the frame. Carefully Rey reached out and felt for any damage, moving his disheveled hair from his face.

“I think you’ll live,” she smiled weakly, “Ben…talk to me, you’re…kinda freaking me out,”

He turned the test over in his hands, able to see it clearly in the light. Sure enough, the little pink positive sign was there. He remembered how devastated he had been when the doctor told him of their loss months ago, and he had worked to deal with his grief while supporting Rey at the same time.

_Your mate is pregnant._

It took a moment for Ben to register that she had spoken to him, that she was staring at him with wide, imploring eyes waiting for reaction or response.

“I just…how long?” He stuttered.

“I only just took the test today…” She said, “I never did go back for that shot…are you…mad?”

His head snapped up to look at her in shock, a frown knitting his brows as he stared at her. Mad? He grabbed her gently, pulling her to him to capture her lips in a passionate kiss, trying to convey that anger was the last emotion he was feeling.

“How could I possibly be mad?” He breathed, holding her face, “I…thank you,” he kissed her again and she melted against his touch.

Even just the knowledge that she was carrying his child calmed the Alpha in him. It was the ultimate claim for an Alpha, having their mate pregnant, but he had never experienced the strange soothing feeling until now and he wondered how different they would feel as she grew.

She settled into his arms, between his legs on the floor, his hands falling over her still flat stomach as he nuzzled in at her glands, occasionally nipping the skin in contentment.

“We have to tell Holdo,”

“We do,”

“We should probably tell Finn and Poe,”

“We will,”

“We need to tell your parents,”

“…damn,”


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No real notes other than to just say a continued thank you to everyone who is still reading and enjoying this story! It turned out longer than I ever imagined it would!
> 
> Also, some shameless self-promotion - I'm uploading a story that I've already completed called Everything In Between. Set in the Star Wars universe, post-TLJ. It's smutty, it's angsty and it's romantic. Please read if you feel so inclined!
> 
> Anyway - onwards to smut and glory!

[](https://imgur.com/iIJ0Mfe)

_< Unknown> Please will you meet with me?_

_< Unknown> It’s really important that I talk to you._

_< Unknown> Look, I know this is weird but I don’t want to hurt you. I just need to talk to you. PLEASE will you meet with me?_

Rey frowned at her phone, placing it back on her bedside table.

Whoever was trying to get in contact with her was being persistent, much to Rey’s irritation. After the fifth day of messages she had finally replied, asking who it was that needed to speak with her so badly, they had only replied that they didn’t mean her any harm and they just wanted to speak to her. When she had tried to call the number, it continued to go straight to answer phone.

_Nice try_

She yawned, stretching her body out and smiling as her muscles slowly came to life. Ben was lying next to her, still seemingly dead to the world, as naked as she was. She grinned as the memories from the night before drifted through her head.

Their sex life was always, for lack of a better term, active, but since Rey had told Ben that she was pregnant, their hormones had gone into overdrive. He was overtaken by an insatiable need for her, the new pheromones her body was creating sending his Alpha instincts to new heights. He was never rough with her, at least, no rougher than she wanted him to be. Last night had been particularly passionate and she had the bite marks on her shoulders to prove it.

So did he.

His arms were wrapped around her, holding her against his body, a hand over her lower stomach protectively. It had only been a fortnight since she had told him but already his biology was being put to work. He held her that little bit closer, his eyes wary of others near her when they were out. More than once she had to ask him politely to stop sending daggers in Poe’s direction and he muttered a sheepish apology. She had smiled and kissed him. It wasn’t really his fault, after all.

Just like it wasn’t his fault when he had overreacted at a student who had accidentally bumped into her in the corridor between classes. She had been walking from Professor Erso’s classroom when some random Beta had been running down the hall, not looking where he was going and had run headfirst into her. She wasn’t hurt in the slightest, just caught off guard but that didn’t stop Ben from screaming blue murder at the unfortunate student.

Trying to roll from the bed to get up, she found his arms tightening around her.

“I have to get up,” Rey said quietly with a smile, “I’m going to be late,”

“Five more minutes,” he mumbled sleepily into her neck and she groaned lightly, feeling his lips trail kisses along her pulse point.

“You know, you have work to go to as well…”

“Don’t care…” She huffed a laugh.

“You will care when you get fir…oh God…”

His fingers had moved from her stomach downwards, teasing her clit with slow circles. She moaned, her head tipping backward against his shoulders.

“That…that’s not fair,” she breathed, “Fuck…”

“What was that about getting up?” he teased, teething her earlobe with a smile.

While the clock next to the bed was flashing 7:00am and Rey knew they both had places to be, it was hard to care while his dexterous fingers were making her body betray her, her center wet for him already.

_Damn Omega hormones_

He continued his attention, his hand alternating circles with the pads of his fingers while his lips moved against her neck, kissing and licking and nipping at her glands, drawing a growling moan from her.

“Fuck sweetheart, you’re so wet for me,” he growled, “I love hearing you moan,”

His free arm reached further around her body, palming her naked breast and gently teasing her nipple, her back arching in response to the dual sensation. He was a full-on assault on her senses. It was almost too much to take considering she had only been awake for a half hour.

“I…God, Ben…fuck that feels amazing,” she groaned. He grinned against her shoulder, his teeth scraping her mating gland.

“Are you going to miss me today?”

“Yes…fuck…Yes,”

“Show me how much you’re going to miss me,” he breathed, his breath hot against her ear as he increased the pressure on the aching, soaked bundle of nerves.

Rey came with a cry, her core clenching around nothing but air as her whole body quivered, Ben’s hand slowing as he worked her through the aftershocks, her leg twitching as her breathing slowed. He kissed her on the cheek.

“Just something to remember me by,” he quipped, and she rolled to her back to smile up at him lazily.

“Ben, you’re not dying…I’m only going to Rhode Island…with your Mother,” she said, “I’ll be back by the end of the day,” He frowned petulantly.

“I know but I’ll still miss you. I don’t like being away from you,” He huffed, “Especially now,”

“Your Mom was amazing enough to arrange this for me so I’m hardly going to turn around and tell her that I can’t go,” Rey said patiently, “Besides, we haven’t told her yet…this is probably the perfect time,”

“You mean when I’m not there?” he said hopefully, and she smiled at him, stroking his face.

“You’re welcome,”

“I love you _so_ much,”

00000

_< Unknown> I have so much that you need to hear. Please, Please arrange to meet with me?_

_< Rey> I don’t even know who you are?!_

Rey growled under her breath, shoving her phone back in her bag as she walked with Leia through the campus of Brown University.

“Something the matter?” Leia asked, and Rey shook her head.

“Nothing important,” Rey said dismissively, “Just…a friend asking to meet at some point,”

The campus was just as Rey remembered from her visit four years ago. Brown was almost where she had decided to study, only changing her mind to go to Harvard at the last moment. Absently, she wondered how different her life would have been if she had stuck with her first choice. Would she have ever met Ben? She shook her head, clearing the unsettling thought.

“So, only four weeks to go,” Leia continued, “Are you nervous about finals?”

“Not as much as I probably should be, but I feel far more on top of things now. I think I’m ready,” Rey said with a smile.

“What are your plans for when you finish? Aside from marrying my son,” Leia said with a wink and Rey blushed.

“Other than that…I…was actually considering writing a book, or at the very least some kind of academic journal?”

“Really? That sounds very interesting…on what subject?” Rey smiled.

“Well, I was actually thinking of researching more about the subject of Alpha Omega behaviors during pregnancy in mated pairs…” Leia raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“I see,” She said thoughtfully, “That’s a very interesting topic but it would require a lot of research, do you have some mated pairs in mind to work with?”

_Here it goes nothing_

“Specifically, I was basing it on the differences between HSFC mated pairs and regularly mated pairs…using my own experience…” She said, her hand drifting down to her stomach.

Leia stopped walking abruptly.

“Rey…are you?” Rey smiled, nodding at the older woman who broke into a hysterical grin, “Oh my God! This is wonderful!”

Suddenly Rey found herself in a crushing hug, wrapped in the older woman’s arms tightly, her cheek being covered in motherly kisses.

“I’m going to be a Grandmother!” Leia gushed, “Why didn’t Ben tell me straight away!? Oh, that boy of mine…I’ll kill him…but I’m so happy for both of you! A daughter and a grandchild in one year…Just wait until I tell Han…and Luke! They’ll both be thrilled!” She spoke so quickly her words all ran together in excitement and Rey couldn’t help but laugh.

“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner but…we just kind of wanted to keep it to ourselves a little longer…” Rey said, hoping the white lie would appease her future mother-in-law, not really wanting to reveal that Rose was really the first to know, followed by her two close friends.

Leia pulled her towards a nearby bench, sitting them both down.

“And I think a paper on your experiences is a wonderful idea,” she continued, “There has been so little documented about this kind of thing from an Omega’s point of view, especially a soulmated Omega. I’ll be happy to help however I can!”

“Really? Leia…I can’t tell you how amazing that would be…”

“Of course, we’re family honey!” She smiled, “Now, since we’re scientists…tell me, how has he been?”

“Been?” Rey asked, “He’s been…fine?”

“Really? Your mated Alpha has been _fine_ since you told him you were pregnant?”

Rey raised her eyes to the sky in thought. While he had been generally fine, for all intents and purposes, she knew that Leia was talking from an Alpha behavior point of view.

“Okay…he’s been a little more…present…” Rey said carefully, “He’s definitely been protective, more territorial. Someone bumped into me in the hall the other week and Ben let him have it,”

“I’m surprised the kid isn’t missing a limb,” Leia snorted, “Alpha’s tend to go that way. Ben might not always seem like a textbook example of Alpha behavior, but make no mistake, the further along you get, the more defensive he’s going to be. Han was exactly the same. By the time I was ready to give birth, he barely let me out of his sight. My advice? Just go with it…”

“Just go with it?” Leia nodded.

“He’s not going to be doing it to control you,” she explained kindly, “His instincts, his hormones, will be telling him to take care of his mate and his child. Even if you want to, you won’t be able to fight it either because _your_ hormones will be telling you to let him take care of you. It’s actually fascinating stuff the way our designations control our behaviors during pregnancy!”

“Isn’t it a little old-fashioned?” Rey said, wrinkling her nose and Leia laughed, patting her on the knee.

“It’s just…biology,” She said, still chuckling, “I’m amazed he wasn’t complaining about this trip. If you were further along, I’d imagine he’d have insisted on coming with you!”

“He wasn’t thrilled, I can tell you that much,” she sniggered, “But he knows how much this trip meant to me and I think you being with me helped put his mind at rest a little,”

“Ha! It’s more likely that you’ve got my son wrapped around your little finger,” Leia winked while a blush spread over Rey’s cheeks. She couldn’t say the woman was wrong. “We better get moving, there’s still plenty to see and few people I’d like you to meet before we need to head back. I’m sure Ben will be wanting to find out all about your day,”

With a smile, the two ladies set off towards the building, Leia continuing to enthusiastically talk about the prospect of being a grandmother.

00000

Brown had been an amazing experience, Rey having spent the whole day with Leia, meeting some of her influential friends and touring the lab facilities. Many of the Professors and researchers she had met were fascinated by her plan to use her own experiences as the basis for her research once she had graduated and they were even more fascinated when they learned her mate was Ben Solo.

In the end, Rey had come away with a lot of contacts and a lot to think about in terms of her future, but the only thing she could concentrate on was the sudden, immediate _need_ that was blooming in her gut.

Leia had mentioned it earlier in their day, the older woman having zero time for playing coy.

“I take it you haven’t experienced your first-trimester heat yet?”

“My...wait, what?”

“Well, it’s not an actual heat…not really,” Leia continued, “In your first trimester, your Omega hormones will be going a little bit crazy. You don’t get the unbearable heat symptoms that stop you leaving the house, but it’s not far off. It stems from the Omega’s ancient inherited instincts to need their mate close, it helps strengthen family bonds. It’s actually a fascinating subject…”

Rey did try to pay attention to Leia and the theories she was telling her about. At any other time, Rey would have been thrilled to wax lyrical about the biology of Omegas, especially since the topic was what she was planning to write about in the future, but her mind was screaming at her that she wanted her Alpha to fuck her hard and preferably as soon as possible.

Basically, nothing that was appropriate when you were traveling alone with your future mother-in-law.

_< Ben> How’s your day been? I’ve missed you x_

Rey smiled at the screen, her stomach flipping as she felt heat slowly creep up her neck. She could imagine him in his office, working his way through papers, his hair messily hanging around his face and glasses, chewing on a pen, perhaps the top button of his shirt was undone…

_Stop. It. Body._

_< Rey> It was great! Oh, and your Mother knows about the baby and she’s thrilled. You’re welcome._

_< Ben> You are a goddess and I love you x_

Rey flicked her eyes to the side, taking in Leia as she drove. She had finished what she had to say, Rey occasionally chiming in and now she was listening to a very interesting discussion (Rey assumed) on the radio, leaving Rey free to trade messages with her Alpha. She smirked down at the phone.

_< Rey> I’ve been thinking about you…_

_< Ben> What a coincidence, I’m always thinking about you. It makes teaching classes a challenge. What were you thinking about?_

Could she? Could she really tell him exactly what she had been thinking about…while his mother was literally sitting next to her? Rey smiled to herself, enjoying the giddy thrill as she typed. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

_< Rey> Just thinking about when you fucked me over your desk in your office_

Rey watched her phone with wicked delight, the little dots indicating he was typing flicking on and off the screen. She could imagine his face receiving the message. His eyebrow would raise, and he would read the sentence a few times, just to be sure he was reading it correctly, then he would smirk in that stupidly sexy way that gave her extremely filthy thoughts.

Because, as she frequently told herself, had you _seen_ her mate?

_< Ben> One of my fonder memories of that room. I particularly loved the way you had begged me…what else are you thinking about?_

She continued to stifle the full-blown grin that was appearing on her face along with the rosy tinge her cheeks were taking on. Of course, he took the bait.

_< Rey> Just how good you’ve been to me…how I can’t wait to have you in my mouth. I’ve been desperate for you all day…_

_< Ben> This morning wasn’t nearly long enough. I wanted to bury my cock in your tight cunt until you were screaming for me._

Her eyes almost rolled back into her head feeling her body flutter as she read his words. God, he could go from polite to filthy on a dime and she loved it. Could she just blame the heat if Leia asked? They were still a good 40 minutes away from Cambridge and if this was the way the conversation was headed, even if It was Rey’s own doing, she wasn’t sure she was going to last that long.

_< Rey> What else do you want to do to me?_

His reply was almost instantaneous.

_< Ben> I’m going to eat that pussy of yours and make you cum so hard you see the future. Then I’m going to fuck you the way an Omega should be fucked by their Alpha and make sure that everyone knows who your mate is._

_< Rey> I need you Alpha. Now. I’m so wet for you…_

_< Ben> How far away are you?_

Rey checked the time on the dash of the car.

_< Rey> Half hour_

_< Ben> I’ll be waiting._

_< Ben> Do NOT bring my Mother to the apartment with you._

00000

The moment Rey had set foot in their home she found herself pressed against the front door, the pressure of his body on hers closing the door with a sharp slam.

She groaned at the relief of feeling his lips against hers, passionate and primal, her body melting against his, giving herself over to his will. He could do whatever he pleased as long as his downright magical hands kept roaming her body.

“I missed you,” he rasped, his lips trailing down her jaw towards her throat as he scented her. Suddenly he stopped his movement and Rey whined.

“What? What’s wrong?”

Nuzzling his nose against the soft skin of her neck, he inhaled deeply, pulling back to stare at her in wonder, his eyes dancing over her.

“Your scent has changed,” he awed.

“Really? Is it…bad?” Rey asked tentatively. She had never been able to scent herself, not really. Occasionally she could sense traces of herself in their apartment or on his skin, but only really when she was in heat.

He leaned back to her inhaling against her skin again, his breath tickling her sensitive skin and he smiled.

“No, it’s…amazing!” he said, “It’s you but it’s…deeper, richer,”

_There’s more of me in there_

The understanding that dawned on him sent a signal straight to his body, a surge of desire and masculine pride erupting in his chest, his heart rate spiking almost as much as his scent and he knew from the way Rey was pawing at him, her hands rubbing all over his shoulders and chest and neck that she could sense it too.

_My mate. My child. Claimed._

“Are you going to keep me in the hallway all night or are you going to take me to bed?” Rey breathed against his neck, her sharp teeth biting at his ear lobe and he growled deep in his throat.

She squeals as he picks her up over his shoulder, dropping her on their bed as gently as he can and he immediately set to work on removing his clothes while Rey kicked off her boots.

“You’re not going to be able to do that soon,” she laughed, “I’ll be too big!”

Ben groaned in anticipation at the thought. It was a secret fantasy of his, Rey’s stomach swollen with _his_ baby. Her breasts, although he thought they were perfect the way they were, large with milk. There was that masculine, Alpha pride again swelling in his chest. Her altered scent declaring to the world that not only was she his mate but that he had claimed her in every instinctual way possible.

She wasn’t undressing quickly enough for his liking and once he was rid of his boxers he reached out, grabbing her skirt and pulling it from her body along with her underwear, leaving her bare to him on their bed. Her slick had already started, she hadn’t been lying when she had told him she was wet for him and her scent was saturating everything in the room.

“Fuck…Ben!”

She barely had time to prepare herself when Ben grabbed her thighs, holding her open and thrusting his tongue into her dripping cunt, Ben groaning at the taste of her. Even with her altered scent, _this_ was still the same and he couldn’t get enough, hearing her moan as his tongue explored through her folds, licking up to her clit.

Her over stimulated body didn’t know what to do, moving of its own accord and Ben pressed a hand, his fingers spread wide on her lower abdomen to keep her steady and still as he worked her.

“You taste incredible,” he murmured against her, pushing into her tight heat with two fingers and curling them upwards until he found that incredible patch of nerves, his fingers working in a come-hither motion that made her vision blur.

“Do you want me to make you cum?” he teased, her breathing coming in shallow pants accompanied by pitched moans. She nodded frantically.

“Please…please let me cum Alpha…”

Her vision whited as his flicked his tongue across her clit, his fingers increasing their pace and she cried out, her back arching and her thighs practically slamming closed against his head as he smirked smugly against her, working her through the aftershocks.

No sooner had she opened her hazy eyes, Rey found herself turned over to all fours, his solid cock pressing into her soaked cunt with long, powerful cants of his hips as he knelt behind her on one knee, the other leg planted powerfully.

“Fuck…sweetheart you feel so good around my cock…” he groaned as he pumped her, “I can’t wait to see you grow with our baby…”

She was helpless for him, his scent comforting and exhilarating to her hormone-addled body. His powerful thrusts caused her to fall forward to her forearms, her face burying into the pillow and they both growled loudly as the new angle forced him deeper.

“Ben…Alpha…” It was all she could think, all she could feel, the sensations and feelings that he was giving her combined with his heady scent and he soaked cunt clenched him tightly, every part of her pulling him closer.

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

“Everyone’s going to know that you’re _mine,_ ” Ben growled, “It’s like your pussy was made to take my cock…you’re so perfect…”

His hand reached around her hip, his fingers working her throbbing clit like an instrument and she gasped with a smile as he hit every note. He wasn’t going to last the way her body was pulling at him, her slicked cunt fluttering in waves across his cock. Increasing the pressure of his hand, her back arched and she practically sobbed as her orgasm shook through her body, tipping him over the edge.

His cock twitched as he spurted his own release, his knot swelling and filling her in the most satisfying way. She smiled lazily in relief, her body finally sated as the tension had finally drained from her muscles and she allowed him to manipulate their bodies into a more comfortable position while his knot was still in place.

“I love you,” he muttered, his whole body relaxing against hers as his arm wrapped around her body, his hand tracing her stomach, “And you…”

“I love you too. You’ll have to get used to this, apparently, my hormones are only going to get worse. I hope you’re up to the task,” Rey giggled, and she felt Ben huff a laugh against her skin.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to keep up,” he drawled.

They settled into a comfortable silence, Ben’s hand drawing lazy circles over her bare midriff while Rey simply enjoyed the feeling of having her mate so close, his scent and their home all creating a space that she felt safe and secure in.

She had so much she wanted to tell him about her trip and he plans, but lying in his arms, her body singing for him, there was nothing she wanted to do in that moment except lie there and savour the feeling of his tongue on her mating gland as he licked her, the automatic, ancient response coming from the animal part of his genes.

Wrapped up in the other, neither of them noticed the faint buzzing in Rey’s bag as her phone rang.

_< Unknown caller>_


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having the best time writing this. I'm sure I've said that before but I can't say it enough!
> 
> Exciting news as well - The wonderful Juliadaredevil on Tumblr is translating this story into Russian for for the site Ficbook! Special shout out and thank you <3 I've never had someone like my work enough to want to translate it into another language so that is crazy awesome to me!
> 
> I've also been updating my other non-AU Star Wars story like a demon - If you're into it, please go ahead and read Everything In Between :)
> 
> Love you all, ya fluffy filth merchants <3

[ ](https://imgur.com/iUSaG5A)

It wasn’t a real heat.

She didn’t feel like she wanted to tear her skin off. She didn’t feel an ache like her insides were about to be shredded if she didn’t get her Alpha inside her. Her temperature had only risen by a small amount, enough that she didn’t want to wear anything heavier than a light shirt. It meant that Rey was still able to leave the house, carry on with her day to day activities. More or less.

But she was still an Omega in a type of heat and that came with its own complications. Morning sickness and round ligament pain were the least of her problems. Ben would patiently hold her hair from her face and rub her back, crooning in his Alpha way, a pained expression on his face knowing that there wasn’t much else he could do to help.

Alphas on campus generally stayed away from her. Those that did dare to try and get close soon scented her mate and the fact she was pregnant to him and they quickly made themselves scarce.

_Probably for the best boys…He doesn’t play well with others and he REALLY doesn’t like to share._

Within weeks everyone on campus knew. Of course, they did, how could they possibly have kept it a secret for long with so many Alphas scenting her unsuppressed pheromones and Ben with his sudden change in behavior. They had told Holdo the day after they had found out, not only because she was quickly becoming a very good friend to them but because if Ben suddenly lashed out at another Alpha, he was going to need a very good excuse to back up his actions. A pregnant mate counted as a good excuse.

“Did you hear? Rey Jackson and Professor Solo are going to have a _baby_!”

“That is so fucking cute I could die!”

“I know right?! At least two of the Alpha’s from Professor Erso’s class scented it on her straight away and Professor Solo’s behavior now totally makes sense!”

Verging on the 10-week mark of her pregnancy, Rey was starting to show, her usually svelte body developing new curves. Her breasts were fuller, her stomach rounding ever so slightly as their baby grew. Along with the changes in her body and the first-trimester 'heat’, her hormones had brought on some other side effects.

While she always felt a little out of sorts when Ben wasn’t around, that was just her biochemistry telling her that having her mate near was preferable to not, now that she was pregnant she found his absence distressing. The longer they spent apart, the worse she would feel. After several hours, her scent would spike in panic and her pulse would race, no matter how often she tried to tell herself that he was only across campus.

_Stupid pregnant Omega hormones_

In a strange, unfair bout of schadenfreude, Rey was glad that Ben was also feeling the effects, taking comfort that she wasn’t completely alone. While she would become anxious and upset, Ben was tense. His mood would darken further and further, to the point that many people had learned quickly to keep out of his way until he had scented her again and his instincts were satisfied that his mate and his child were safe.

After a particularly long day apart, separated by lectures and meetings, Rey had become so distraught she had begun to hyperventilate, much to her mortification. Luckily, Rose had been there.

_< Rose> Pro-So, get your ass to the Library NOW. Rey is freaking out!_

He had found them tucked away at the back of the building, Rey sitting on the floor with a paper bag while Rose was crouched in front trying to get her to concentrate on her breathing.

It was for that reason, and only that reason, that Harvard had relented slightly on some of their enforced rules that Ben and Rey had originally agreed to follow. Once again, Holdo had stood in their corner and pleaded their case, citing that they were under extremely specialist circumstances and that forcing them to spend time separated when on campus caused undue stress on both the Alpha and the Omega and could possibly cause complications in the pregnancy.

Not wanting to become involved in a lawsuit that they were going to lose, the college agreed to drop the rules.

“Now, this doesn’t mean you two can do whatever you want,” Holdo warned, “But nobody is going to get hauled into my office for holding hands in the hallway. Just…try and be discreet please?”

From then on, Rey found herself in Ben’s office in the middle of her day. Often, they didn’t even speak, Rey studying and preparing for the last of her exams while Ben continued with his work. Just being in each other’s presence was enough to keep them both sated. Rey wouldn’t panic, and Ben wouldn’t threaten to rip a student’s throat out.

It was a win-win.

It was the middle of April. Her final assignments had been submitted. All Rey had was a handful of exams to finish and she could graduate. Plenty of students, albeit mature students, had sat exams while in their first trimester. However, she would have put good money on a bet that none of those students were Omegas.

Omegas in a first-trimester heat.

She blinked down at the paper in front of her. The room was silent save for the scraping of pens on paper and the sighing of frustrated students. She looked up at her surroundings. Everybody else was frantically scribbling or holding their head in their hands as they read back their answers. At the desk at the front of the room was Ben, his strong scent cocooning her in safety and reassurance.

It was also making her cunt throb.

Rey sighed, tilting her head from side to side to stretch out her aching neck muscles, the act wafting her scent through the room and Ben looked up from his phone, offering her a sideways smile.

_Please don’t smile at me like that Alpha. It’s not helping._

How the hell was she supposed to concentrate on her paper when her mate was sitting in front of her, smiling like the personification of sin and smelling so good that it should have been illegal? A sharp pang of desire flooded through her gut as her glands throbbed in her neck.

_The sooner you finish the paper…the sooner you can ride him through the floorboards._

Good job brain, she thought sarcastically. She knew he could sense the spike in her scent, she could see it on his face and she wondered if she would have grounds to appeal her grade if it came back lower than expected.

_I’m contesting this grade because I couldn’t concentrate due to my sexy as fuck mate distracting me. I’m sure you understand. Please pass me._

Slowly she re-read the question and began to write. She knew this. She had studied hard for these exams and she found when she focused on the relaxing elements of having him near, she could write with ease, the terminology coming to her easily.

“30 minutes left in this exam,”

His voice. His damn voice. She was glad she was finished because if she hadn’t there was no way she would have been able to pull herself back on track. How embarrassing would that have been?

_Hello. I’m Rey and I failed a paper because I was horny._

Breathing deeply, Rey composed herself and gathered her paper to submit it and leave the room, doing her best to ignore the heated gaze he was giving her as she placed her paper on the table.

00000

Ben had scented her half an hour into the exam.

It wasn’t a heat like he had experienced but she had been near enough insatiable for him, her hormones running rampant through her body as their baby grew. Not that he was complaining, it wasn’t like they had a tame sex life, to begin with, but there was a time and a place for her body to kick things into high gear.

A Harvard exam was not one of them.

He wondered if it would have been better to have another person watch over the exam. That way she wouldn’t have been distracted by her body screaming at her, but then, maybe if he wasn’t in the room she would have become anxious? Between a rock and a hard place.

He had been flicking through emails on his phone when a particularly sharp spike of her scent hit his nose and he looked up to see her rolling her neck. He glands must have been killing her. When she locked eyes with him he offered a small smile. She returned it tightly.

_Okay so that didn’t help._

He relaxed when he saw she had managed to control herself a little more, her pen frantically scribbling on the paper. Good. She didn’t deserve to fail just because of her hormones.

“30 minutes left in this exam,” he announced to the class, trying not to smirk at the mixture of reactions which ranged from relieved smiles to sheer panic.

There was that spike again, he noticed. She gathered her papers and stood, walking to the desk and handing in the exam, leaving the room. He knew exactly where she was headed.

When the exam finally ended, and the final papers had been collected in, Ben gathered them in his arms to give to Holdo on the way, making some excuse about having an urgent meeting he had to run off to.

_Well it IS urgent._

Almost as soon as he was inside his room, he found himself pressed against his door, her lips attacking his and her hands fisting in his hair. He groaned against her mouth, her scent the sweetest thing he had ever experienced. He would never get sick of it.

Fumbling behind him, he turned the lock on the door. While Holdo had given them permission to be a little more open with their relationship on campus, he was pretty sure this was _not_ what she had in mind.

“That was torture,” she groaned, pulling him towards the Chesterfield by his belt, “I could barely concentrate…” he was pushed down to a sit, Rey straddling his waist and he could feel the heat from between her thighs, dragging a growl from his chest. She could feel how hard he was for her already.

_Thank you Alpha hormones._

“I can’t help but feel responsible,” he breathed, kissing along the column of her throat, “I’ll be sure to write a strongly worded letter…” his hands palmed her swollen breasts through her shirt, teasing her sensitive nipples and she tipped her head back to moan at his attention.

“Right now, I just want you to get your pants off and get your dick inside me!” she growled, his teeth scraping over her pulse.

Frantically, she grabbed his belt, pulling at the catch to release it and he raised his hips, shimming his pants down to his knees with all the grace you could expect of an Alpha who was about to have a quickie in his office. Rey hiked her skirt up, pulling her soaked panties down enough that she could simply shove the annoying fabric to the side. They groaned simultaneously as she sank down onto him, her slicked cunt guiding him home.

“Oh fuck, that’s it…” she groaned, the sweet relief she was feeling traveling to every nerve in her body.

His head tipped back in ecstasy as she rolled her hips against his, moving slowly at first to adjust to suddenly being so full of him.

“Christ sweetheart…you’re so fucking hot…” he moaned, bracing his hands on her hips, encouraging the speed of her movement, “You look so beautiful…”

He gazed up at her through heavy lids, his breathing hitched as he watched her move on him. Her lips were parted as she moaned, her head tipped back exposing her throat and he growled in frustration that their position didn’t allow him to run his tongue over her glands.

His hands moved from her hips to push her shirt up, grabbing at her bra to expose her breasts, his mouth greedily sucking on the tender flesh, his teeth lightly biting at her nipple.

“Touch me…” she groaned, “Make me cum Alpha…I want to cum for you…”

“Fucking _do it_ ” he groaned, his fingers rubbing quickly across her throbbing clit as she convulsed around him, a gush of warmth spilling over him as she came, tipping forward and biting into his shoulder to muffle her cries. Ben shoved his fist in his mouth, biting down on his knuckles as he came with her.

“That…is so much better,” she smiled breathlessly, her forehead resting against his shoulder as he peppered her face and neck with light kisses, occasionally swiping her gland with the flat of his tongue.

“Always happy to help,” he whispered, grinning against her skin. He could feel that she was more at ease already, her scent relaxing around him. Her arms were looped around his neck and he practically purred feeling her play with his hair gently.

“Thank you for being…you,” she said, kissing him, “You’ve been so great with everything,”

“You’re my mate,” he smiled, moving a stray strand of hair from her face, “I’m your Alpha, that’s what I’m here for. From pickles and ice cream at 2 o’clock in the morning to…needing fucked immediately, I’m your guy,”

“Hmm. Good thing we got all that practice in,” she quipped, “You’ve got the stamina,”

He groaned lightly, feeling his knot twitch as it spurted the last of its release, and Rey giggled under her breath.

“It tickles sometimes,” she explained, reacting to his quizzical face.

“Poor kid…drowning in cum before they’re even born…” Rey wrinkled her nose laughing.

“Professor Solo…that’s gross!” He laughed lightly with her, pulling her to him for a gentle kiss.

“I love you,” he said, softly, “Both of you,”

“We love you too,”

00000

“Why are you so tense?”

“I’m not,”

“You absolutely are…”

Ben shifted uncomfortably in the oddly padded chair of the hospital waiting room, his hand gripping Rey’s a little tighter than necessary. He grunted a sigh, his brows knotted in an uncomfortable frown.

“This isn’t exactly my favorite place to be,” he sighed.

The last time he had been in the hospital it had been before Christmas. It was the place he had seen his unconscious mate wheeled in with blood all over her face, it was where he had held her hand and cried, begging her to wake up. It was where he had watched her heartbreak being told that they had lost a child.

Rey gave his hand a comforting squeeze, leaning into him and kissing his shoulder.

“Come on, we’re here for something good this time,” she said softly, “Don’t think about that,”

“I know…it’s just… it’s difficult,” he huffed, “And this place smells wrong…I can barely scent you or the baby,”

His nose wrinkled in distaste. There were too many people around for his liking. Too many Alphas milling around, Betas and a few Omegas all added into the mix along with the sterile, clean smell he had learned to hate the last time they were there. He could still scent them, but it was tarnished, and he hated it.

“Rey Jackson?”

She squeezed his hand again, both standing and following the nurse through to the exam room where the doctor was waiting for her. She indicated towards the table for Rey to lay back while Ben stood at her head.

“Miss Jackson, Mr Solo, I’m Doctor Ahsoka,” the Indian woman smiled kindly at them, “and I understand you’re here for your 12-week scan?” Rey nodded nervously, Ben’s hand firmly locked in hers.

“So, how have things been?” she asked, setting up the ultrasound machine next to her, “Any dizziness or headaches?”

“Only occasionally,” Rey said, “Nothing to write home about. The morning sickness has been…fairly terrible,” The Doctor nodded, writing notes down on her chart.

“You’ll be pleased to hear that should start to subside now you’re going into your second trimester,” She smiled, “Now, how about those hormones of yours. It says here you’re designated as an Omega and you two are…mated HFSC?” Rey nodded.

“They’ve been…turbulent,” she smirked glancing at Ben who returned her smile. Turbulent was certainly one way to describe it.

“That’s to be expected. It’s totally normal for a mated Omega. I’m sure Dad is feeling the same way hmm?” the Doctor said looking over to Ben, “You haven’t tried to murder anyone, yet I assume?” she joked, and Ben flushed, the tips of his ears turning pink.

“He’s behaved himself,” Rey teased, smiling at him affectionately.

“Alright,” Doctor Ahsoka started the ultrasound, “Let’s see what’s going on in there!”

Rey shivered when the cold gel landed on her bare skin, her eyes locked on the blank screen until the probe began to move across her stomach. The screen flickered to life, thousands of tiny white marks making up the picture.

Then they heard it, Rey’s hands immediately tightening around Ben’s as the sound hit her hears. A gentle ‘flubdub’ in the room above the sound of their breathing. A heartbeat. Their child’s heartbeat. It was the most beautiful thing they had ever heard.

“And there…is your baby,” the doctor announced, pointing to the splodge on the screen. They both squinted at the image, Rey trying to hold back tears stinging behind her eyes. Ben could only stare on open-mouthed at the little life they had made.

It was real. It was all real, tiny hands and tiny feet moving in response to the prodding on Rey’s abdomen.

“Do you…can you tell us if it’s a boy or a girl?” Rey asked in wonder, still transfixed by the screen.

“It’s a little early for that yet but I can tell you everything looks great here,” she smiled, “Everything is exactly as it should be, you’ve got a very healthy, developing baby!”

Ben could feel his glands itch and he stretched his neck, something between a deep growl and a purr emanating from his chest as he held his mates hand. Seeing tangible proof of their baby combined with their scents, even with the smell of the hospital, was igniting something deep in his gut and he was fighting the urge to grab Rey and lock her away from anything that might do them harm.

_Protect Defend Protect_

“Dad, you doing okay over there?” Doctor Ahsoka asked and Ben nodded tentatively, the muscles in his neck tensing painfully. She smiled in understanding.

“Don’t worry, Mr Solo, what you’re feeling is just some natural Alpha instincts. It will lessen in time,”

Ben tried not to scoff. Of course, he knew what was happening but once again, knowing the theory and feeling it first hand, for the first time, were two very different things.

It didn’t matter. What mattered was his mate and his child. It wasn’t gravity anchoring him to the world anymore.

It was them.

00000

The messages had stopped.

The calls had stopped.

Between her baby, her incessant need to take Ben to bed at every available opportunity and studying for her finals, Rey had managed to push the unknown person trying to contact her to the back of her mind.

Her phone buzzed as they drove home from the hospital and she frowned, ignoring the message and throwing her phone back into her bag.

“Another message?” Ben scowled, “I’m telling you, sweetheart, change your number…I’m not okay with this…”

“It’s probably someone who has a wrong number. There’s nothing to worry about…”

“Really? An unknown number calling my mate saying they’re desperate to speak to you and I’ve _not_ to worry?” he said incredulously, “Please…just change your number?”

“Okay, I’ll change my number,” she said soothingly, stroking his leg as they drove, “I’ll call my cell company as soon as we get home,”

She had kept her word, organizing a new number, and so the calls and messages stopped. Rey continued to go through her day to day life with Ben, preparing with Rose for graduation as she excitedly spoke of their plans and what they were going to wear. She shopped for wedding dresses that would compliment her growing baby bump, arranging details for her upcoming nuptials.

Rey smiled brightly as she walked through the main gate out onto the Cambridge streets. She had just finished her final meeting with Professor Holdo, the two Omega’s swapping pregnancy stories and Rey was comforted to hear that her feelings were completely expected.

Her hand rested comfortably on her small bump as she walked, enjoying the sun as she sipped on the one cup of tea she was allowed in the day. Ben was still on campus, working through the pile of papers and handing out grades.

_God I miss coffee_

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she rounded the corner towards their apartment, stopping abruptly, her tea slipping from her hands, the cup landing on the sidewalk sending the contents splattering. She felt sick, her heart pounding a frantic beat and suddenly she wished that Ben was with her.

Armitage Hux was sitting on their doorstep staring directly at her.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're coming towards the end of our love story. I'm planning on a two-part epilogue to round everything out. I hope everyone has enjoyed my interpretation of a modern abo soulmate love story soap opera (Ooft, mouthful) Please know that I have loved every second of writing this world for you and I'm going to be very sad to leave it.
> 
> Sad, but proud of my work.

[ ](https://imgur.com/dFQPzPf)

Rey couldn’t move.

Her feet felt rooted to the sidewalk, her whole body frozen staring at the man sitting on the stairs to her building.

He looked so different from the last time she had seen him. Instead of his clean shaved face and immaculate hair, he had a thick layer of scruffy stubble. His skin was sallow and contrasted harshly with the deep, dark circles under his eyes. Instead of his pristine suits, he was wearing a pair of old jeans and a black hooded sweater. Slowly he stood up and she noticed that he was shaking.

“Please don’t panic…I’m not here to…to hurt you…” he said, holding his hands out to her warily.

Rey swallowed the lump that was clogging her throat. What the hell was he doing here? How did he even know where they lived?

“I’ve been trying to contact you…”

“When Ben finds out you’re here he’s going to tear you to pieces!” Rey spat, but her voice was betraying how panicked she was feeling. Her scent was spiraling, and she knew he would be able to tell. Hux was an Alpha after all.

Hux winced at the mention of Ben’s name. His nose wasn’t as straight as it once had been, having healed after it had been set from the break. He took a shaky step towards her, his face cautious and more submissive than she had ever seen him.

“Don’t come fucking near me!” She bit out and he stopped moving, nodding his head slowly to show that he was listening to her.

“Where is he?” he asked, and Rey suddenly wasn’t sure how she should answer. Ben was due home around the same time she was. One part of her wanted her Alpha there to protect her, to rip Hux in two but the logical part of her mind knew that if Ben assaulted the man in front of her in public someone would call the cops. There were no two ways about that.

“He won’t be long,”

Her hands wrapped around her stomach, her shoulders shaking, and she couldn’t tell if it was with fear or anger. His eyes roamed her, and she knew he was scenting her, his eyes growing wide.

“You…you’re preg…”

“Yes, and you must have a death wish coming here!” she growled, “If you thought he was territorial around me before, you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into! What the fuck are you even doing here? What makes you think I want to see you?”

“I just...I had to talk to you,” He muttered, “I had to try to…I don’t know…make amends…”

Rey paled, staring at him in disbelief. He wanted to try and make amends for what he had caused?

“You…tried to separate Ben and I,” She said, her voice shaking, “You tried to make me think that he would go behind my back and you manipulated some poor girl into helping you do it…and if you hadn’t done that…I…I wouldn’t have been in that car and…”

Her voice broke, tears running down her face. She couldn’t even say it, her arms tightening around her bump.

“What makes you think that there’s _anything_ you can do to _make amends_ for that?”

His mouth opened and closed uselessly, clamoring to find a response. She was right, he knew. What could he really do? Suddenly, Hux wondered if he had made a mistake coming to try and find her.

He had gone to New York to try and get some distance, distraction. Drinking didn’t work, the loud noises and lights of the city weren’t working. In the end, he had sought professional help to try and seek closure. While that had given him a little progress, what he needed to hear was Rey telling him that she forgave him for his trespasses.

“I didn’t know…” he choked, his eyes watering, “I swear I didn’t know…”

Rey saw red, adrenaline flooding her body.

“ _We_ didn’t know!” She growled, “You took something precious from us and now you have the fucking nerve to flood my phone and turn up at our home?”

“I had to tell you that…that I was sorry,” he sobbed, “I just...Jesus, I’m just so fucking sorry!”

She watched in confusion and horror as he sank to his knees on the sidewalk, giving in to the hysterical sobs that wracked his body, his face buried in his hands as thick tears rolled down his face. This man had tried to ruin their lives and for what? For the sake of a job? Out of spite?

Rey had always considered herself a good person. There had been so many things she had forgiven in her life. In time, she had forgiven her faceless parents for abandoning her, she had forgiven the heads of her foster homes for their blatant disregard of their charges. She had even learned, in time, to forgive society for how Omegas were treated. As far as she was concerned, everything she had been through had played a part in bringing her and Ben together.

But looking down at the man in front of her as he broke down on his knees, she couldn’t bring herself to find compassion. When she looked at his face, all she saw was the same cruel smirk he had given her, sending her to Ben’s office that horrible December day. She felt the same gut-wrenching pain that had ripped through her body when they had been told of their loss.

“What do you want Hux?” she sneered, “Forgiveness? You didn’t come here to make amends with me…you came here to try and ease your own guilt,”

“No!” he cried, “I…I’ve been seeing someone…trying to work through things and I just, I know I won’t be able to move on until you know how I feel…”

“Do you even hear yourself?!” She hissed, “What you just described _is_ easing your own guilt, not making me feel better! Ben and I have worked hard to deal with our grief, to move on and now we have a future to think about…we don’t need you coming here and trying to rip open wounds!”

“I swear, that’s not what I’m doing…I just…I don’t know how to deal with this!” he sobbed, “I can’t sleep, I can barely eat…I don’t blame Ben for how he reacted. I get it…I do…”

“Do you expect me to feel sorry for you?! How do you think Ben and I have felt for months?”

“I just…I need you to say that you forgive me,” he begged, “Please Rey….”

He was still on her knees in front of her. She had dreamed of this moment in her darker thoughts. Hux on his knees, begging for her forgiveness. In her dream, she had sneered at him, scorned him and told him that he didn’t deserve her forgiveness. What he had done was unforgivable.

She still felt that way. She couldn’t, wouldn’t forgive him for what he had done, but she stared down at him with nothing but profound pity on her face.

_How the mighty have fallen_

“Stand the fuck up,” she snapped, her jaw clenched, “You’re lucky that Ben isn’t with me because I can promise you, if he was, you wouldn’t be breathing. Someone once told me that forgiveness isn’t something that’s earned. It’s given with compassion because it’s needed…but you didn’t show any compassion for us…and I’ll _never_ forgive you for that,”

He nodded shakily at her, fidgeting with his hands awkwardly.

“If you want to do something for me, for us, you can leave us alone,” she said firmly, “I want you to walk away from here…I want you to leave us alone, so we never have to look at your face again. Do you understand me?”

“Okay,” he sighed, his breath shuddering, “Thank you…”

“Don’t thank me,” she snapped, scowling, “I’m not doing it for _you_. I need peace to move on with my family…and, against my better judgment, you should get out of here before my mate turns up and rips your heart out. If you ever come back, if we ever see you again…I won’t stop him,”

Hux said nothing else to her, staring at her for a beat, watching as she raised her chin defiantly, her eyes full of fire but her hands gripped her stomach protectively. The man pulled his hood up over his head as he walked away from her quickly, her eyes locked onto him until he was long out of sight.

Inside. She had to get inside.

Her hands shook as she pulled her keys from her bag, opening the door to the building and rushing to their apartment, slamming the front door behind her.

Now that he was away from her and she was home, the gravity of the situation was finally setting in. Hux had been the one calling her, begging for her attention, so desperate that he had finally tracked her down to her home all because he needed to hear her say that she forgave him. In his obsession, he had basically stalked her.

Her breathing was coming in gulps, her heart hammering against her ribs. She sat down, holding her bump and forcing her breathing to even out. Stress wasn’t good for the baby.

What was Ben going to say? He would be irate when she told him, and she _had_ to tell him.

She could scent him before she saw him. His raw, masculine, Alpha scent drifting through the door. As her pregnancy advanced, she had noticed that his scent was stronger to her and at that moment, it was more than welcome, calming her frazzled nerves.

“Hey sweetheart,” the warm smile on his face morphed into one of concern when he saw her face. He dropped his bag, rushing to kneel in front of her, grabbing her face gently.

“Rey? What’s happened? Baby talk to me…”

_Protect Defend Protect_

Adrenaline immediately flooded his body, his muscles tensing in response to her anxiety. He needed to hear her tell him that everything was alright. Was it the baby? Ben didn’t think he could handle that news.

She couldn’t lie to him. Not when his dark eyes, swimming with so much concern and love, were right in front of her, begging her to tell him what was wrong so that he could fix it. She steeled herself for his reaction.

“Hux was here,” she choked, “He was waiting outside…”

His hands dropped from her cheeks, his pupils moving as he comprehended her words. Hux was here. Hux had been in contact with his mate, his _pregnant_ mate, and Ben hadn’t been there to keep her safe.

The hormone spike hit him like a sledgehammer in his chest, almost knocking the air from him and he stood, pacing the room, his trembling hands running through his hair in frustration.

“What did he want? Did he hurt you!?”

“No!” Rey said, leaping to her feet. She had to calm him down, his protective instincts mingling with his incandescent rage towards the man causing his body to go in overdrive, his fists clenching and unclenching.

“He wanted me to forgive him…”

“Does that motherfucker have a death wish!?” Ben snarled, “Why didn’t you call me?”

“I…I didn’t think…” Rey sighed helplessly, “I didn’t know what to do!”

“You could have…I dunno, kept him talking until I could get to you! Anything could have happened…”

His pacing was frantic, his scent climbing as the Alpha high began to hit him. Try as Rey might, she couldn’t calm him, she couldn’t get a hold of him, his strong body shrugging her away as his head spun.

“Ben, I’m fine…everything is fine,” Rey pleaded, “Please calm down!”

“ _He_ was here!” Ben shouted, “He was here, and I wasn’t!”

“But nothing happened…”

Ben inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring, his black eyes flashing dangerously.

“I can _smell_ him on you!”

It was like an out of body experience. He was inside his own head, screaming at himself to stop, to calm down.

_You’re scaring your mate. Stop. STOP._

But that scent was still there, tainting his family. Pine and bourbon and _wrong_. His mate had been in danger and he _wasn’t there._

A primal roar ripped from his throat, his anger coming to a head as he swiped his strong forearm over the dining table, sending the books, papers and a vase crashing to the floor.

For the first time in their relationship, Rey was seeing Ben lose control and she was helpless to do anything. Something deep inside her told her that she had to get away, go somewhere safe until he had calmed down, protect herself and her baby. All she could do was rush to their bathroom, locking herself behind the door.

_Please calm down. Please calm down. Please calm down._

In and out. In and out. His breathing was shaky as he blinked down at the destruction he had created, shattered glass littering the living room floor. Slowly, with concentration, his breathing began to slow although his heartbeat was still erratic.

“Rey?”

_Fuck. FuckFuckFuck._

He had never lost control in front of her, not like this. Any time his instincts had begun to take over she had been able to calm him down, he had been able to take in her scent and feel her touch on his skin and know that everything was fine.

Carefully he approached the bathroom door, knocking gently, the sound making Rey jump.

“Rey…please come out,” he pleaded, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you…”

He sounded better, she told herself. His voice had calmed, albeit, still trembling but there was still something in his scent. Adrenaline and something she couldn’t quite put her finger on. Absently, she rubbed her bump, her own body feeling jittery.

Ben pressed his ear against the door, desperate for any kind of indication she was moving. He felt sick. He was supposed to be her Alpha, her mate. It was his job to protect her, to make her feel safe, not frighten her to the point that she felt the need to lock herself away from him.

“I didn’t mean to lose control like that,” he whimpered, “I just…I could smell him on you and the thought of _anything_ happening to either of you…I couldn’t handle it. Please, sweetheart, I love you so much…”

There it was. The unknown element she hadn’t been able to place on his scent. It had never been so strong before but hearing his distraught voice she finally understood.

_Fear_

He was afraid. It wasn’t pure anger he had acted out of, although it was a strong part. It was fear. Fear that he would lose her, that they would lose their child and everything they were building together. Fear that he was her Alpha and he had failed her.

_Oh Ben_

He stepped back from the door hearing the latch open with a faint click. Slowly, the white wood pulled back, Rey’s wide, unsure eyes staring up at him and he hated that he had ever given her a reason to look at him that way. He was still shaking.

“Rey…I’m sorry,” he breathed, “Please…don’t be afraid of me. I’d never hurt you, I…I couldn’t…”

Deep down she knew that. His anger hadn’t been directed at her, she had just been in the vicinity. It had been her own need to protect herself, protect their child that had made her want to run. Cautiously she approached him, Ben keeping his arms locked by his side although he desperately wanted to hold her. He wouldn’t, not until she gave him permission.

She reached up to him, gently holding his neck, her thumbs massaging over his glands and he sighed into her touch, his back rounding as he bent forward to her, her touch soothing his ragged emotions.

“Shh,” she soothed, “It’s okay…we’re okay,”

“I don’t want you to be scared of me…” She stood on her toes, bopping her forehead against his.

“I’m not,” she promised, “Are you okay?” He nodded. His eyes were still glassy but under her touch, his heart rate had begun to return to normal.

“I…umm, I think so,” he said, “Wh..where did Hux go?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think he’ll be coming back again,” Rey said firmly, “Ever,”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I told him if he did then I wouldn’t stop you,” she said simply, “Ben you’re bleeding…”

He glanced down in the direction she was staring. Sure enough, on his bare forearm, there was a gash, a thick line of blood running towards his hand. He hadn’t even noticed.

“Must have been from…before…” he muttered.

Wordlessly, Rey grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bathroom and sitting him down on the edge of the bath. He watched as she pulled a first aid kit from under the sink, methodically setting about washing the blood from his skin, cleaning the cut and wrapping it in a dressing. It wasn’t so deep that he would need stitches at least. When she was done she stood between his knees, her arms looping around his neck.

“There. Good as new,” she said smiling weakly at him.

“I should be taking care of you…”

“We take care of each other,” she corrected, “That’s the deal right?”

 He nodded quietly, his eyes soft, silently begging her to tell him what to do now. The adrenaline was draining from his system, the last of the Alpha high leaving behind a pounding headache and raw, hollow remorse. Never the less, despite his actions, his precious mate brushed the hair from his eyes and stroked his face with so much tenderness it made him want to cry.

_I don’t deserve this woman_

“Can I kiss you?”

She smiled at him lovingly, bending down to press her lips against his softly. She could feel his caution, his hand hovering around her face where he would want to hold her against him. He was letting her take the lead, trying to show her that he meant it when he said he didn’t want her to be afraid of him.

Holding his hand, she lead him to their bedroom, helping him undress before she stripped her own clothes and when they made love, there were no harsh words. No quick, rough movements. He was slow, moving so tenderly it made her feel like she was melting, feeling every inch of him.

And when she came, when her body exploded from the building pressure and she felt him knot her, the familiar feeling of safety and love settled in her chest. They lay face to face and he watched her eyes growing heavy, pressing his forehead to hers.

“I don’t deserve you,”

“Yes, you do,”

It was the last thing she whispered before sleep finally claimed her, lulled into the dark by his voice whispering sweet nothings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was in two minds about this chapter and where I wanted it to go. I could have gone full-on drama as I did consider Hux kidnapping or at least holding Rey hostage but in a strange way, despite this being a story, I wanted to keep it a little more believable in my eyes and keep him as a man drowning in his own guilt. Make him a little more three dimensional and less of a complete psychopath. 
> 
> So I went with my gut instinct on this one.


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some of you were a little disappointed that Rey didn't forgive Hux but that was a personal choice as I think it's going to take her a little longer than 5 months or so to forgive something so horrible.
> 
> Only a few chapters (Plus epilogues) to go - emotional!
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to Kelly Marie Tran who is an actual queen. I love her and she deserves to be protected and cuddled at all costs.

[](https://imgur.com/Fwrql94)

_Knock._

_Knock knock._

_Knockknockknockknockknockknockknockknock_

“Holy shit are you insane?!” Ben hissed, pulling his front door open, “Rose, it’s not even 9 in the morning…did…did you get into our mailbox?”

The small girl was practically vibrating with excitement, two envelopes in her hand. One had her name on it and the other said ‘Rey Jackson’ along with their address. She smirked, looking him up and down and suddenly Ben realized that he was topless, her frantic knocking at the front door having roused him from his bed, causing him to run through wearing only a pair of sleeping pants.

Just when he was able to relax, his work schedule lightening now that the academic year was over.

“Eyes up here Tico,” he deadpanned, “Again…what the hell?”

“I’m sorry!” She exclaimed, “But Rey and I always said we would open our final results together and I just couldn’t wait!”

“and I’m pretty sure when Rey said that she didn’t think she’d be 14 weeks pregnant when she made that promise,” He growled, “Listen, she’s not been sleeping well, and I don’t want to wa…”

“What’s going on? Rose?”

Ben sighed heavily hearing her rough, sleep filled voice from behind him. Her second trimester had begun and while she had more energy generally, she was still experiencing morning sickness and the pain in her joints was causing her to have restless nights. Last night had been the first in a fortnight she had managed to get more than four hours sleep.

His heart hurt when he turned to look at her. Her messy hair hung around her shoulders as she padded through in her sleep shorts, his old Princeton sweatshirt swallowing her frame, her bump barely visible under the grey fabric. She rubbed at her heavy eyes, yawning, and all Ben wanted to do was get her back in bed and sleeping.

“Rose? What are you doing here?” Rey asked sleepily, “It’s so early…”

“I’m sorry babe!” Rose said, “but it’s results day and we always said we would open ours together!”

“I also said if I passed I was going to do a 90-second keg stand but I don’t see that happening right now,” Rey drawled, approaching the door, “Well…come in, you can’t just stand in the hall,”

Grinning, Rose pushed past Ben who snorted in annoyance.

_There isn’t enough coffee in the world_

“Alright, open your results then please, Rey, will you get some more sleep?” He asked, “We’ll see everyone tonight at dinner,”

“Okay, I promise I’ll get some more sleep…but only if you come with me,” she smiled lazily, standing on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. He nodded, satisfied, before turning to Rose.

“You have 10 minutes Polly pocket,” he quipped, “Starting now. Then I’m taking my pregnant fiancée back to bed!” He wandered through to the kitchen, setting up the coffee machine to start.

In the living room, Rose handed Rey her envelope.

“You ready?” Rey grinned, her heart flipping in her chest.

“Ready!”

They both ripped into their envelopes at the same time, the sound of frantically tearing paper as they grabbed their letters. Slowly, as their eyes scanned the paper, the girls began to smile, slowly at first until they were both grinning like Cheshire cats. Their eyes locked.

The loud screaming that Ben heard made him jump in fright, almost dropping his mug in the process.

When he returned to the living room he found the two squealing in excitement, hugging and jumping up and down. Everything was done. Their course credits were signed off by Holdo, their results were through and after four long years, Rose and Rey were finally graduating from Harvard.

“Girls…please…” Ben whined helplessly, rubbing his face, “It’s 8:50am…”

“Better get used to it Pro-So!” Rose grinned, “You’re going to be a daddy and that little bundle isn’t going to care what time it is…we’re doing you a favor!” He rolled his eyes, wandering over to Rey and taking the paper from her hands so he could read.

“I’m so proud of you!” He awed, his eyes scanning the paper as she beamed up at him.

“Hey, what about me?” Rose joked.

“You know what Tico, I actually am proud of you too,” He said sincerely, “As one of my students, you did far better than I anticipated so…well done,”

“I’m not sure if I should be insulted or not…” she said wryly.

“Well I’m not sure if it was a good idea to wake me up at half 8 in the morning but here we are…”

“Fine!” Rose sighed in exaggeration, a smile playing on her lips, “Fine, you’ve made your grumpy Alpha point. I’m going. Rey, we’re still all having dinner, tonight right?”

“Yes. Absolutely we are,” Rey smiled, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

She was thrilled to see her friend, really, she was, and she was glad they still kept their promise of opening their letters together but as much as she hated to admit it, Ben made a good point. She hadn’t been sleeping well and if it had been anyone else but Rose at the door, she would have let Ben have his way and throw them out, so she could continue sleeping.

Waving one last goodbye to her friend, Rey watched Ben close the door before he gently took her in his arms and guided her back to bed.

00000

“What…are you doing?”

Ben’s eyes flicked from the road to his mate after seeing her movement from the corner of his eye. He looked back to the road but was still frowning in confusion.

In her hands she was holding his takeaway coffee cup, but rather than drink it, seeing as she couldn’t have the caffeine, she was smelling it.

“I miss coffee,” she moaned, “I’m just…inhaling…”

“Don’t you think you’re just torturing yourself by doing that?” She shook her head, placing his cup back in the cupholder.

“No, what’s torture is you getting us all dressed up and bundling me into the car and _not_ telling me where we’re going,” She replied, “So I ask again…where are we going, Ben?”

“And I say again…You’ll see,” he quipped, “I think you’ll like it,”

_God I hope you like it_

After a beat and some staring out of the window, trying to work out the direction they were heading, Rey had a thought.

“Baby names,”

“Huh?”

“We haven’t discussed baby names,” she clarified, “We don’t know what we’re going to name this little bundle,” Ben smiled warmly.

“We don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet,” He said, and Rey shrugged, rubbing her growing stomach.

“Oh, that doesn’t matter,” she said, “So…names?”

“I haven’t really thought about it…”

“Liar,”

He chuckled under his breath. He was lying. As soon as he knew she was pregnant he had started thinking of names, wondering what their child would look like.

“Okay. If we have a girl…I was thinking…Hope,” he said. Rey looked thoughtful, a small smile spreading on her face.

“Hope,” she repeated, testing the name on her tongue, “I love that. What about if we have a boy?”

“Irrelevant. We’re not having a boy,” Rey blinked at him, laughing incredulously.

“What? How can you _possibly_ know that?” Ben shrugged, a smug smile on his face.

“I just have a feeling. We’re having a girl,”

“Our baby is the size of an avocado right now,” She laughed, “You can’t possibly know,”

“Okay…do you want to put a bet on it?” He asked.

“Do I want to put a bet on the sex of our baby?” she confirmed, and he nodded, “Okay, fine…let’s do this. If you’re wrong and it’s a boy…we go to Disneyland for our honeymoon,”

Ben groaned. The idea of going to Disneyland was his own personal hell. It was crowded, so many people and scents and loud, it was so damn loud all the time. He wasn’t exactly a sharing type of guy and the idea of spending their honeymoon surrounded by screaming, shouting people and kids (that weren’t his own) full of sugar was not his idea of a romantic time.

“And if I’m right, which I am, and it’s a girl?” Rey smiled, stroking his leg affectionately.

“Then I’ll let you take me anywhere you want,”

He grinned wolfishly.

Rey looked out the window, she vaguely recognized where they were. They were driving down a street in Somerville, close to the border next to Cambridge. He turned the car into the driveway of a large house on a corner. She smiled at the building. It was two story, with a quaint porch and garage on the side, all covered in the sunny yellow cladding.

“What’s this?”

“Just something I wanted to check out,” Ben said flippantly, “Let’s go,”

He held her hand, walking towards the front door and pushing it open. The inside was wide, spacious and far more modern than the outside suggested. To the right was a huge living room attached to an open planned kitchen, a large kitchen island separating the two areas with a breakfast bar. Directly in front was a large set of stairs, all white and pine wood leading to the bedrooms. The whole place had clearly just been freshly decorated.

“Ah, Mr Solo, you finally made it!”

Rey turned to see an older woman walking towards them, a polite smile on her face, her shiny black heels clicking on the polished wooden floors. She was carrying a document folder in her arms.

“and this must be Miss Jackson, it is so good to meet you at least. Your fiancé has told me so much about you,” The woman cooed, “Honey, you are simply glowing!”

“Oh, umm, thank you,” Rey blushed, leaning unconsciously into Ben’s arm. He squeezed her hand, pressing a chaste kiss to her hair.

“So, let’s have a look, shall we?”

Rey followed the woman through the house, beginning in the living area and kitchen where they had met, listening to her explain how the floor to ceiling windows and sliding doors leading into the huge backyard would allow the light through in the morning.

“The whole place is specifically designed to maximize the amount of light available,” She explained, “Now if you’d like to follow me up the stairs I’ll show you the master bedroom…”

They continued through the other rooms. A master bathroom with a huge bath and walk-in shower, an office, a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, walk-in closet and three more large bedrooms, a laundry room next to the garage that was bigger than Rey’s first dorm. It wasn’t quite as large and opulent as Leia and Han’s home, but it was cozy, warm. A perfect place for a family.

“If that’s everything, all that’s left to do here is sign the papers,” the woman smiled as they returned to the kitchen pulling out her document folder and a pen. Rey blinked dumbly watching Ben smile and nod at the woman.

“Sign the papers? Ben, did you…have you bought this place?” she gasped. He pulled her into his arms, watching her reaction carefully.

“I did. I want you, us, to have a real family home. I want to give you that,” he said sincerely, “Do you like it?” his voice wobbled with nerves. Rey’s eyes shone with tears, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket to kiss him fiercely.

“I love it,” she beamed, laughing happily, “I love you so much. This place…it’s perfect. It’s so fucking perfect!”

He grinned, remembering her words from their first date, holding her close, their baby cocooned safely in her between them.

He sighed the papers, the woman Rey now realized what a real estate agent handing the keys to Ben and wishing them well. They sat together on the floor of their empty living room, Rey settled between Ben’s legs, his arms around her growing body as he nuzzled at her neck.

“Hey…are you okay?”

She was crying, he suddenly realized, noticing some stray tears spilling over her lower lashes. She sniffed loudly, huffing a laugh and wiping at her face.

“Yes, God…yes,” she insisted, “I’m just hormonal and…It’s a lot. To get what you’ve always wanted when you didn’t _know_ it’s what you wanted. It’s a lot,” She sighed happily, feeling his facial hair rub against her neck, their combined scents already invading the space around them. He pressed a kiss to the mating mark he had given her over her gland.

_MateMateMate_

“I understand,” he whispered, “I feel it too. I didn’t know what I was missing in my life until you walked into it. I love you so much, Rey,”

“I love you, Ben,” She grinned, happily wiggling her body against him, her back pressed firmly against his chest. She giggled when he nipped at her earlobe.

“And I can’t wait to fuck you in every room in this house,” he growled playfully, “Happy graduation Rey,”

00000

“So, I don’t want to cast a negative energy on this day…but these robes are _not_ practical!” Rose moaned, looking down at her graduation robe that trailed on the floor. Rey laughed, smoothing her own black robe.

They were surrounded by other students, all chattering excitedly waiting to take their places.

“I’ll just be happy to get this over with,” Rey said, “Not that I’m not looking forward to finally graduating but I _hate_ these damn caps!”

“Kind of a bummer we don’t get hoods for a bachelor degree. Maybe we should come back and do a Masters?” Rose teased and Rey rolled her eyes.

“After the final year I’ve had it would take a miracle to have Harvard allow me back,” she laughed, “Even if my mate does teach here! How about I get married and have my baby first, huh?”

Rose giggled, rubbing Rey’s stomach.

“I never would have thought when graduated that there would be three of us,” She smiled, “I’m just…”

“Oh my God, Rose are you crying?” Rey exclaimed, “Please don’t cry...because then I’ll start crying and when I start, I won’t stop, and I paid way too much for this mascara!”

“I’m just so happy for you!” Her friend cried, trying to sniff back her tears, “You have an Alpha who loves you and isn’t a total jerk, which is rare by the way, and you’re having a baby with him and you’re going to move to a beautiful new house and today you’re graduating…and…just…promise that we’ll still see each other?”

Rey stared at Rose in shock, her own eyes brimming with tears.

_Great. Here come the waterworks._

“Rose…of course we’ll still see each other,” Rey sniffed, “You’re my best friend. You’ve been here for me through…everything! Other than my family, you are one of the most important people in my life. My baby is going to need their Aunt Rose!”

“Aunt Rose? Huh…I like the sound of that,” the girl grinned, wiping her eyes, “Promise you’ll make an apartment for me over the garage when I inevitably fail at finding a romance as epic as yours?”

“I promise,” Rey teased, “I’ll timeshare you with Finn and Poe,”

“Rey!” Rey turned towards the voice, smiling widely.

“Professor Holdo!” She greeted, “I didn’t expect to see you until later,”

“Well I just wanted to find you before you all took your seats,” She beamed, “You look beautiful, both of you do, but how are you feeling?”

“Oh, thank you! I feel great. The second trimester is suiting me,”

“I’ll say. He’d kill me for saying this, but I’ve worked with Ben for many years and I’ve never seen him so…light! He’s been smiling all day, mingling with the other faculty members! You’re a wonder,”

“Well, I can’t take all the credit,” Rey blushed, “Where is he anyway?”

“He’s having to take his seat now,” Holdo said, “I just wanted to say hello before I joined the rest of the department,”

“Thank you,” Rey said, “And…listen, Professor, this whole year would have been so much harder if it wasn’t for you so, thank you…for everything. I can’t tell you what it means to me,” Holdo’s lip quivered and she sucked in a breath.

“Everyone is making me cry today,” she laughed lightly, dabbing at her eyes, “You are more than welcome! You and Ben, I’m just so happy for you…and hey, today isn’t goodbye! I’ll be seeing you at the wedding!”

“Ladies and Gentlemen, commencement will begin in 10 minutes. Please take your seats!” Holdo grinned.

“That’s my cue to leave. Best of luck girls, and congratulations!”

They said goodbye to Holdo, Rey grabbing Rose’s hand and giving her an encouraging squeeze as they set off together towards their graduation.

00000

Rey loved how Ben looked all the time.

When he was smart casual in his open-collared button-down shirts, French tucked into a pair of dark jeans. When he was just awake, his hair mussed with sleep as he would wander through for his morning cup of coffee. When he was lounging around their apartment working, his glasses balanced on his face as he researched his book in his basketball shorts.

When he was completely naked, his strong chest covered in a sheen of sweat as he moved in her, growls of passion spilling from his full lips through gritted teeth. That was definitely high on her list.

But her absolute favorite look of Ben Solo’s?

A suit.

He was sitting with the other faculty members, between Amilyn Holdo and Jyn Erso, and Rey spied him immediately as she walked with Rose in an organized fashion towards their seats.

He was wearing an immaculately cut black suit with a crisp white shirt and black tie. His long dark hair was styled, beautifully disheveled, and his facial hair was trimmed neatly. His eyes found her, and his face was lit with a handsome, proud, smile.

_Those fucking dimples_

“Alright, easy heart eyes,” Rose drawled as they sat, “If I didn’t love you both together so much I’d tell you how sickening you are…” Rey smirked at her friend, sticking out her tongue.

She could feel his eyes on her as she walked on stage, shaking hands and accepting her degree. Everything she had done and worked for culminated in this moment and Ben didn’t think he could be prouder of her as he clapped.

The commencement speech was everything it should have been. It was inspirational, motivating and peppered with academic jokes designed to break the monotony of the speech. Rey had stopped listening, too focused on the fact that despite the other people, other Alphas, around her, she could still scent him. While the students were all facing the stage, the faculty were sitting facing the students on a diagonal. She could see him every time she turned her head.

“Rey…” Rose whispered.

“What?”

“This is kind of a once in a lifetime. Shouldn’t you be concentrating on the speech?”

“Well have you _seen_ him?” Rey whispered back, nodding her head in his direction.

“I have. I’ve seen him in all kinds of situations…more than I ever would have expected of one of my professors actually…your come to bed eyes are about to set the place on fire. Desist!”

Rey rolled her eyes.

“It’s the babies fault…”

“Oh yeah, blame the poor defenseless mini Pro-So,” Rey sighed under her breath.

“You know, he’s not your Professor anymore…you could just call him Ben?”

“…Never,”

So caught up in their whispered conversation, Rose and Rey almost missed the end of the commencement speech, the students around them breaking into applause.

“Congratulations, Harvard class of 2018!”


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! I really wanted to get this chapter out over the weekend but I was wrestling (A Reylo writing, Pro-wrestling BioMed student...yup.) and I had a tiny little concussion so writing had to take a back seat for a day. It's hard to write good smut when you can't form sentences!
> 
> As always, I love you all for your support and comments and just general awesomeness <3

[ ](https://imgur.com/zIKar2Z)

“22 weeks already, how are you feeling?”

Rey lay back on the hospital table, her shirt pulled up over her swollen belly, Ben dutifully sitting on the seat next to her holding her hand, his fingers absently playing with hers. Doctor Ahsoka smiled down at her, preparing the ultrasound for her mid-way scan.

“Fine, I think,” Rey replied, “Instincts are a little…erratic,” The Doctor nodded.

“That’s to be expected. I’m afraid they won’t really calm down properly until the birth,”

Rey sighed. It was nothing they didn’t already know. As she had progressed, the length of time she could spend away from Ben was becoming less and less. She was developing a constant need to have him nearby, to feel his skin on hers, to have his scent around her.

Most times she had taken to wearing something of his if he did have to leave for any reason, but even wearing his sweater hadn’t helped one day when he had gone to the gym with Poe, only to return home to find Rey inconsolable. She had been ashamed of her tears, sobbing into his chest, but she couldn’t help it. Her hormones ruled her body now and if they did need to be separated for any reason, Ben did his best to make sure it was for no less than an hour at the most.

It benefitted Ben as much as it did Rey. Without her presence, his moods were becoming darker much faster and he wouldn’t be satisfied or calmed until he could scent her again, feel her and their baby near him. At least with the academic year finished, neither had to worry about prolonged separation due to their work.

Some people thought it was strange and dependant that two adults couldn’t go longer than an hour outside of each other’s company but then, those people didn’t feel that same biological pull that they did.

_Screw other people_

“Let’s have a look, shall we?” Doctor Ahsoka said kindly, “Are you two wanting to find out the sex of the baby today?”

Rey turned her head to smile at Ben cheekily. Not a day in their home went by when their child’s gender hadn’t been brought up, their bet still very much in place.

“More than ready!” she replied, holding his eyes. Ben only gave her a serene smile in return, confident that he already knew the answer.

_Bring it Solo_

The probe moved over her stomach, the screen flickering to life with the 3D image of their baby. They watched with the same awe that had befallen them the first time they had come for Rey’s scan. The last time their child had been so small, barely recognizable. Now their baby was formed, still growing, but familiar as an actual person that they had created.

“Everything looks brilliant here…and…congratulations, you’re having a baby girl,”

“WHAT?!”

“I _knew_ it!”

Rey started incredulously at the Doctor, her head whipping between Doctor Ahsoka and Ben who sat up straight, grinning triumphantly.

They were having a girl. Before it was even possible to detect via the marvels of modern medicine, Ben had called it. Rey laughed in disbelief. His scent was heightened, and she shook her head at him, but the elated smile on her face couldn’t be suppressed. Secretly, it had been the answer she had really wanted all along.

Suddenly she winced slightly, feeling a sharp kick against her insides.

“Someone knows she’s being watched,” The doctor smiled, “Have you felt a lot of movement?”

“It’s getting more frequent,” Rey said, “Especially when I’m trying to sleep,”

“She’ll be sleeping on cycles. About 12-14 hours at a time but unfortunately for you that doesn’t always mean it will be when you’re sleeping. She seems very active though, and that’s a good thing, you’ve got a very healthy baby,”

She turned the machine off, lifting Rey’s arm to wrap the sphygmomanometer around her bicep. The doctor made a non-committal, thoughtful noise as she watched the numbers on the machine, drawing a concerned frown from Ben.

“Hmm. Your blood pressure is a little on the high side,”

“Is that going to be a problem?” Ben asked, feeling Rey squeeze his hand to try and lessen his rising anxiety.

“It’s nothing to be too concerned with at this stage but we’ll keep an eye on it. Try and keep stress to a minimum,”

Rey did her best to refrain from snorting, wondering if the woman in front of her had ever tried to graduate from Harvard, plan a wedding and move home all at the same time. At least her graduation was out of the way.

They thanked Doctor Ahsoka, walking hand in hand from the room. Rey rolled her eyes affectionately at the man walking next to her, a smug grin still plastered on his face.

“Alright…you win. Where are you taking me?” Ben continued to grin.

“Well…right now, I’m taking you to bed…”

Rey smiled wickedly at him.

_MateMateMate_

00000

“Rey, Put. The. Box. Down!”

Rey growled under her breath, coming to a stand before she could put her hands on the box in front of her, somewhat ungracefully given her body. She scowled petulantly at Ben.

“This time I’m not recovering from major surgery…”

“No…this time you’re carrying our daughter and you’ve been told to keep stress to a minimum,” he said gently, putting his own box down and going to her, “Will you please just…indulge me? _Please_?”

Rey sighed, watching the worry in his eyes. How could she be stubborn when he was just trying to take care of her, of both of them.

“Alright fine,” she relented, “But I need _something_ to do. I can’t just watch you guys do all the heavy lifting!”

For the briefest moment, as she took in Ben’s sweaty body wearing only a black vest and jeans, his hair messy from all the physical work he was putting in, she wondered if, in fact, she _could_ happily sit back and watch.

“If you want to do something, why don’t you and Rose unpack some of the essentials? Leave the rest to Poe, Finn and I?”

Rey nodded reluctantly. He was right, of course, he was right. While the thick, glossy hair and glowing skin, as well as the increase to her sex drive, was a welcome side effect of her pregnancy, the downside came in the form of an almost constantly aching back and the occasional bouts of breathlessness.

Taking all of that into account, her new shape was making it difficult to physically bend down and pick anything up at all. It was frustrating considering she was always a hands-on person.

“Come on, don’t look at me like that,” he sighed, kissing her, “It’ll be worth it when it’s all finished. I promise,”

She smiled, watching him wander back over to the box he had left, her head tilting for a better view as he picked it up.

_Watching isn’t so bad._

Some of the furniture had already been brought in, she noticed as she wandered idly from room to room, trying to decide how they would finish their decorating. Their study was a decent size, enough for two of them to have a working space without crowding the other and she envisaged how the walls would look with Ben’s various qualifications framed alongside hers. Not that they would spend much time actually doing much work in the room. Ben preferred to do his research while he sat on the sofa, sometimes with a laptop balanced precariously on the arm.

_Professional scientist that he is_

“There you are! I take it Ben has given you the riot act on box lifting again?” Rose grinned appearing in the doorway of the room Rey was sitting in the middle of, “What are you doing?”

“Just…thinking,” Rose wandered inside, joining Rey cross-legged on the floor.

“What about?”

“Everything I guess,” Rey said happily, “The wedding is only a few weeks away, the new house, we graduated…it’s a lot of changes to take in,”

“All good though right?” Rose asked warily. Rey’s mood had been changeable, to say the least. Swinging between complete contentment to tears for seemingly no reason and Rose didn’t really want to worry Ben by telling him that his mate was crying again.

“Oh, definitely good!” Rey insisted, looking around her, “We’ll need to get this furniture built…”

Scattered around them were boxes of various sizes. A crib and changing table among other things they had raided Buy Buy Baby for.

“You mean _Ben_ will need to get this furniture built,” Rose joked, “Don’t worry, I’m sure the guys can help him…”

“For as long as Ben and Poe can be in the same room with each other,”

It wasn’t that Ben meant to get riled up when Poe was around. Since their unfortunate first meeting the previous year, when Poe had accidentally interrupted Rey’s heat, the two Alpha’s had become quite close. Poe was closer to Ben’s age than Finn was, and the two men had a lot in common.

Unfortunately, one of the things they had in common was that they were both Alphas which made things difficult when it came to their natural instincts. They tried to fight it, and it was a small comfort that Poe at least understood completely that it wasn’t really Ben’s fault, but when Rey was in the vicinity, having another Alpha close to his mate made Ben feel especially protective. The least he would do is glower in the other man’s direction, his arm possessively wrapped around her body, and they would always be sure to say their farewells before any aggression built.

“Poe gets it,” Rose said lightly, “And you know it’ll be better once she’s here. You know, I think I saw them bringing in the sofa with the reclining seats, how about I see if I can hook up the TV and we’ll make some food and watch something? Maybe take your mind off things?”

Rey smiled gratefully at her friend, allowing her to help her to her feet so they could wander down the stairs.

Rose really was a wonder, Rey thought with a swell of love for her friend. The girl had brought two bags worth of groceries with her, explaining that she assumed the two wouldn’t have had time to do any kind of shopping since they had been so preoccupied with the move. The basics were all there. Bread, milk, cereal, cold cuts as well as some junk food since she was sure the boys would need a sugar hit when they were done.

“Go and take a seat,” Rose commanded, “I will take care of everything!”

Seeing that her friend wasn’t about to take no for an answer judging from the look on Rose’s face, Rey padded her way to the sofa. Along with the TV, it was the only piece of furniture in their new living room that was in place, the rest of the space a riot of random boxes and pieces abandoned where they were dropped, and she had to swerve her path until she landed on the seat.

Her aching back eased as she sunk into the soft brown leather, kicking off her sneakers as she sighed in contentment. Maybe everyone had a point after all.

Rose appeared in front of her, grabbing a box and pulling it to them as a makeshift table, grinning proudly as she put down a plate of sandwiches and two large glasses of iced lemonade. They happily sat talking of Rey’s wedding and Rose’s travel plans, their movie in the background quickly forgotten.

They only stopped when the three men appeared, sweaty and panting with the summer heat, dropping the last of the boxes.

“So that’s the deal? We do all the work and you two get to sit and watch?” Finn exclaimed, grabbing a glass and pouring himself from lemonade in the kitchen. Rose lifted a flirty eyebrow.

“You know me, I love watching guys get thirsty,” she winked, Finn rolling his eyes and chugging the glass from start to finish.

“Don’t pay any attention to him. As far as I’m concerned, you’re a miracle worker Tico,” Ben said, “You’re the first person to get this one to take a seat all day!” He flopped down on the empty side next to her, pressing a kiss to her neck, his damp hair curling on his forehead.

Rey giggled, nuzzling against him, seemingly oblivious to his disheveled state. Only she was all too aware of it, her hormones buzzing through her body at the scent of him. While she wasn’t in any kind of heat, every book and website she had read on pregnancy had stated that by her 20th week, her sex drive would be at its peak, the doctor confirming that fact and telling her that it was still perfectly safe.

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

As subtly as he could since he was very aware there were still other people in the room with them, Ben leaned his head towards her, pressing a kiss to the top of her shoulder and inhaling deeply. There it was. _That_ spike. Her scent, still subtly altered by the presence of their daughter, was warmer, inviting and as he glanced up at her, he saw her eyes darken just that little bit. His lips still in contact with her skin, he smirked against her, returning her impish smile.

From the kitchen, Poe stilled, fighting the urge to roll his eyes. Damn hormonal mated pairs. He cleared his throat awkwardly, knowing that chances were if they stayed any longer, someone would get their throat torn out and it wasn’t likely to be Finn or Rose.

“Well guys, it looks like you’ve got everything under control here,” he said loudly, putting down his half-eaten sandwich and moving to leave, holding Finn firmly by the shoulders to encourage him to move, “It’s getting late, it’s time we made tracks. Rose, I’ll give you a ride home,”

“But…I haven’t finished my sandwich,” Finn whined, oblivious to the tension that Poe could sense in the room. Poe turned to Rose, silently eyeballing her to tell the girl that it really was time to go. Taking the hint, Rose jumped up.

“Right! Yes, it’s definitely time I was heading home!” She said, “Come on, Finn,”

“Can I at least take my sandwich with me…”

“Yes. Let’s go,” Poe said testily, practically shoving his boyfriend towards the front door, while Rey and Ben tried not to laugh from their place on the sofa, the pair unphased that their friends knew exactly was happening.

_Blame the hormones_

 As soon as they heard the front door slam closed, she was on him straddling his hips as best she could, her hands fisted around his vest and pulling his mouth to hers. He growled against her lips, his tongue running along hers, her own fingers carding through his already messy hair.

“Thank God Poe has sense,” Ben said breathlessly, gently turning Rey onto her back lengthways on the large sofa, hovering above her braced on his arms so as not to crush her body, “I’ve been going crazy all day,”

“At least you’ve had somewhere to put some of that excess energy,” she giggled, feeling his fingers grip the waistband of her leggings, peeling them down her legs, “I’ve had to sit and watch you all da-oh God,”

She moaned, her breath catching in her throat feeling his fingers ghost her clit, moving in slow circles as he watched her reactions. All of those extra hormones had made her particularly sensitive, her aching cunt already growing wet for him. With his other hand, he reached forward, tugging at her shirt playfully.

“Off,” he growled, “I want to see all of your beautiful body,”

Carefully she peeled off her tee, unclipping her bra and throwing both to the floor. His eyes roamed her body hungrily. There was something primal inside him that stirred seeing her pregnant with his child, knowing that it was his seed that had claimed her. _His_ mate. _His_ baby. There was an archaic instinct deep in his genes that drove his possession, his own scent mingling with hers that whipped his senses into a frenzy.

Already his cock was solid, straining against his jeans, begging for release and twitching every time he scented her arousal.

“You look so perfect lying there for me,” he breathed, one hand trailing up the soft skin of her thighs and over her swollen stomach while the other moved past her folds, her slicked pussy walls pulsing around his fingers as he moved slowly, her eyes fluttering closed at the sensation.

“Is this what you’ve wanted sweetheart? You needed your Alpha to make you cum?”

So lost in the sensation, finally getting what her body was craving, all Rey could do was moan and nod her answer, but that wasn’t what he wanted. He needed to hear her, to watch her say those filthy words that spurred him on.

“Say it,”

“Yes Alpha…I need you, please…please make me cum,” she groaned, her voice tinged with desperation. No matter how many times she tried to see to herself, there was nothing in comparison to the feel of his hands, his tongue on her body, his scent taking over her senses and telling her that he was there to take care of her any way she needed.

Ben smiled wolfishly, his other hand moving to her clit as his fingers worked her, curving up to her g-spot and hearing her voice pitch as he hit it repeatedly. The way she was pulsing against him, her soaked pussy fluttering, he knew she was there.

“Fuck…right there… _oh fuck_ …”

She practically sobbed her release, her body quivering and shaking around his hand, head tipped back and open-mouthed as he watched her with keen, predatory eyes.

_MateMineMate_

Her breathing was still ragged as she gazed at him, her eyes hazy with arousal, watching as he smirked at her proudly, bringing his soaked fingers to lick her juices, purposely taking his time and teasing her despite the fact the tension in his pants was reaching a critical level that was almost painful.

“You always taste so sweet for me,” he drawled, pulling off his shirt and quickly unbuckling his jeans. The relief he felt finally freeing his weeping cock was instantaneous, kicking off the fabric to join the rest of their clothes.

He crawled up her body, precum smearing on her naked skin, her clit pulsing in response to his solid cock grinding against her soaked folds. Her stomach being as large as it was, it was beginning to become awkward for Ben to be on top, unable to move as he would like. He kissed her soundly, Rey tasting the remains of herself on his tongue and she whimpered against his lips.

“I need you inside me _now_ ,” she growled, nipping his lip.

“How do you want me?”

He needed her just as desperately, his cock verging on the point of painful it was so hard, but as wild as his animal instincts were driving him, what was left of his sensible side reminded him that his mate was pregnant, and he didn’t want to hurt her. She pushed him up, carefully turning herself so she was on her knees, her pussy so wet that her slick was practically running down her thighs.

“You read my mind sweetheart,” he grunted, reaching forward and running his hand through her swollen lips and coating himself in her juices.

He had considered teasing her, on drawing it out until she was begging for him. He adored her, he wanted to give her anything she wanted, but the Alpha in him loved hearing her beg for his cock, for him to fuck her until she was boneless in his arms. There was something so visceral hearing his Omega telling him that he was needed, that she would do anything to have him.

At that moment, however, her scent taking over and her shining, perfect cunt in front of him, it was impossible to think of anything other than pushing into her, a guttural groan tearing from his throat as he felt every ridge of her hold him.

“Fuck sweetheart,” he groaned, “You always feel so amazing,”

Her breath coming in shallow pants, punctuated with mindless babbling of how good he felt, how deep he was fucking her and how much she loved him, as he thrust against her, his hips slapping against her mingling with the sounds of their moans.

“Harder,” She growled, “Please Alpha…harder, you’re not going to hurt me…”

_Fuck_

He cursed himself mildly, knowing that he had been subconsciously holding back, but if that’s what she was asking for then who was he to deny her anything? His hips cracked viciously against her, her forearms dropping further down pushing her hips up and _there_. The head of him hammered against the patch of nerves, her eyes rolling back as she saw stars, a string of curses falling from her lips.

“Don’t stop…I’m so close…please…” she choked, her voice muffled by the padding of the sofa.

Ben was certain at that moment he could have been held at gunpoint and there wasn’t a chance in hell he could have stopped.

“Cum with me sweetheart,” he growled, “I need you there with me…”

With a final, vicious thrust she cried out, her orgasm crashing into her in waves sending shocks along her body and pulling his cock to her tightly, his knot filling her and he shouted his own release, rough and raw.

If he hadn’t been sweaty before, Ben most certainly was now, but he couldn’t care. Not when he felt so content with his knot locked into his mate, her scent relaxed and safe as he wrapped his arms around her as best he could, arranging them on their sides.

_Now I know why I needed such a large sofa_

Rey groaned lightly, moving her shoulders and neck, trying in vain to stretch the muscles that resided lower in her body.

“How’s your back?” he asked, pressing a kiss to her neck and mating mark.

“It’s been better,” She admitted, “but that was worth it,” she finished with a chuckle. Ben moved his hand lower, leaning back to create a space and she sighed happily, feeling his fingers rub slow circles into her aching muscles.

“Oh God…that feels amazing,” Rey sighed, “is there anything your hands can’t do?”

“Well, you’ve not seen me attempt to build a crib yet…” he smiled, hearing her snort.

“I’m sure you’ll do just fine,” She said, “You know, I’m sorry about this…you must be exhausted,”

“Sorry about what?”

“This. Me. Constantly wanting to jump your bones…mmph!”

She suddenly found herself silenced when the hand of the arm she had been resting her head on covered her mouth gently. She relaxed from the sudden intrusion, feeling him nuzzle below her ear.

“Don’t you fucking dare,” he warned gently, “There is nothing…and I mean _nothing_ , I love more than having sex with you and you could never be a burden to me. Ever. I never want to hear you apologize for needing me…because I fucking love you, okay?”

“Okay,” she conceded, a shy smile on her face as she reached back to stroke his cheek, “but you’re the one who’ll need to apologize to the neighbors when they start to complain about the noise…”

“…deal,”

_MateMateMate_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter may be more than a few days. We're heading into the wedding and I want to make sure it's perfect cause my babies have been through a lot since Chapter 1 and they deserve it ;)
> 
> And as a fun little extra, where do you all think Ben should take Rey for their honeymoon?!


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey's wedding - part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wedding was threatening to turn into a monster of an update, and I prefer to keep a fairly regular updating schedule so with that being said, I'm splitting the wedding into 2 parts! 
> 
> I honestly can't believe how much this story has grown from a single, smutty idea I had a while back but it's become an absolute joy and therapy to write, it really has, and I hope everyone is enjoying my modern abo romance story <3 Starting to wonder if I have a domestic fluff kink too ;)

[ ](https://imgur.com/CTncq1K)

Rey had been awake since 4am.

She lay contented on her back, Ben pressed against her, his face against the side of her shoulder with his long arm draping over her. He was still asleep, she knew it from the weight of him, his heavy leg tangled with hers and the steady huffs of his breath tickling her skin from his nose.

Tilting her face towards him, she analyzed his features. He looked so much younger when he slept, relaxed and peaceful, his dark lashes fluttering very occasionally with his messy crop of dark hair falling over his face. Let him sleep, she thought, they had a long day ahead of them.

It wasn’t just the excitement of the impending day that had woken her. Their daughter had decided that the middle of the night was the perfect time to make her presence known, kicking her mother awake then continuing to squirm and wriggle afterward.

_Holy shit_

Today was their wedding day.

She smiled thinking of how they had come to this point. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that she would have been getting married at all, let alone to the gorgeous Alpha lying next to her. The _strange_ Alpha, as she had once called him in jest. Powerful, commanding and territorial but so unexpectedly gentle, protective and kind. The one in a million that she was meant for mind, body, and soul.

Her soulmate.

Rey wiggled her toes, her leg beginning to fall asleep thanks to the weight of his own thrown over her thigh. She didn’t really want to wake him, but she also didn’t want to limp down the aisle since walking with any kind of grace would be awkward enough. Turning away from him, she picked up her phone, ignoring the string of notifications to check the time.

_07:00_

Rey grinned, replacing her phone and turning back to him. While tradition often dictated that the bride and groom spent their last night in separate places and separate beds, the conversation they had about that subject lasted all of 4 words.

“No, absolutely fucking not,”

She had only smiled and kissed him reassuringly in response. Truth was, she didn’t want to spend the night away from him either, and not only because their ingrained instincts wouldn’t allow it.

They had arrived at Han and Leia’s home the day before to find that there was very little left to be done. Leia had taken care of everything. The house had been scrubbed from top to bottom, the front porch decorated to within an inch of its life and the gardens landscaped and redone especially for the day, much to Han’s chagrin. He had indulged his wife, relenting that of course, she wanted her only son’s wedding to his mate to be nothing less than perfect.

He had elected to simply stay out of her way rather than get involved.

Rey’s phone buzzed against the wood of the nightstand and she reached for it.

_< Rose> Is he ready?_

_< Rey> He’s still sleeping…_

_< Rose> That wasn’t what I asked >:)_

_< Rey> Is Poe with you guys?_

_< Rose> Unmated Alpha bursting in on Ben with his preggers mate in the bed? What do you think? Nvm. You have 10 seconds…_

Rey sighed, dropping her phone before reaching over to lovingly push his hair from his face, pressing a kiss to his forehead. He moaned lightly as he slowly came to, blinking up at her with sleep-addled eyes. He looked so trusting, gazing at her with adoration, that Rey almost felt guilty about what was coming.

“Good morning,” he whispered, his voice still rough with sleep, “What time is it?”

“Still early,” she answered, “I didn’t want to wake you, but I really thought I should…and, baby, I am so sorry for what is about to happen…”

His face fell, a cold panic settling in his chest. Why did she look so apologetic? On their wedding day?

Ben’s brain hadn’t caught up with his body, still foggy from being woken when suddenly the door to the guest bedroom burst open, Rose and Finn shouting and whooping as they rushed forward the couple’s bed, throwing confetti and streamers everywhere.

“HAPPY WEDDING DAY!”

“Jesus fucking Christ!” Ben cried in fright, his heart hammering in his chest at the sudden scare.

There was no time for him to recover and catch his breath as he felt himself dragged from the warm comfort of the sheets.

“You guys didn’t want to spend the night apart but there’s no way you’re seeing each other until this lady walks down the aisle!” Rose declared, proud of her scheme, “We’ve got all your things on the other side of the house! Take him, Finn!”

“You know, when you came up with this, you really didn’t factor in that Ben is much larger than I am…”

Rose shot Finn an exasperated look, nodding her head to instruct her friend to get Ben out of the room while Rey could only giggle at her poor, confused mate.

“Alright, fine,” Ben drawled, rubbing his face, “I’m…going and, Tico, rest assured when I’m awake and when you least expect it, revenge is coming…”

“This is my revenge for _those_ exam questions pro-so!” She quipped, grinning wildly at him.

Shaking himself from Finn’s grasp, which even half asleep wasn’t a difficult task, Ben leaned over the bed, kissing Rey one last time.

“See you at the altar,”

00000

By the time Ben had been dragged to the other guest room, far away from the one he had been occupying with Rey, and given time to shower properly and neaten his beard, the whole house was abuzz. Noises echoed from down the stairs and he could faintly hear his mother barking orders at the unfortunate people she had hired for the day.

“I still can’t believe you guys did that to me,” Ben huffed, accepting the drink from Poe’s outstretched hands. He was washed and in clean sweats, the boys deciding they still had time before they would have to put on their formal wear.

“Don’t look at me! I had the self-preservation skills to know not to barge into your bedroom at that ungodly hour. I like my throat in one piece,” Poe laughed, and Ben winced.

“You know I don’t mean it right? With Rey? I’m trying man but I really can’t help it…” Poe waved his hand, dismissing the other Alpha.

“Ben, I get it. Seriously,” he said, “I know what it’s like…maybe not that specifically but I get the hormones and the instincts. You don’t need to apologize …just, maybe give me a head start if I need to run away. Your legs are longer than mine,”

Ben laughed along with Finn and Poe, relieved that his friend wasn’t holding his behavior against him. Suddenly there was a frantic knock, the door opening and a flustered Han rushing inside and closing the door behind him.

“Dad? Everything okay?” Ben asked warily. Han turned to look at Poe, his eyes darting between the man and the bottle of scotch on the table next to him.

“Tell me you have another glass?” Poe nodded, reaching out and pouring one, handing it to Han, “Your mother is driving me crazy!”

“Jesus, Dad, I thought there was an actual problem!”

“This _is_ an actual problem!” Han huffed, “First the ceremony layout wasn’t good enough, then Luke’s readings weren’t quite right, now she’s going on about how she doesn’t think there’s going to be enough food. She’s planned for 100 people and there’s only 40 invited! How in the hell will there not be enough?”

“So, like the brave man you are you decided to come and hide out here?” Ben smirked. Han shot him a withering look.

“There’s a time to be brave son, and there’s a time to know when to get the hell outta dodge!” he said, pointing a finger at him.

A sharp knock sounded at the door, the three men in the room turning towards the noise.

“Han? Han, are you in there?”

“Ah shit,” Han cursed, finishing his drink, “She found me…”

“It’s not _that_ big a house Dad. She was bound to find you eventually,” Ben drawled. The door to the room opened and Leia stood, dressed and ready for the day, her hands on her hips and a sour expression on her face.

“Han! I told you that I needed you to…Ben? What on earth are you boys doing just sitting there drinking?! You need to get dressed!” Leia scolded, walking into the room and forcibly taking the glasses from their hands, “And you’re keeping the beard? Really?”

“Rey likes it, Mom,” Ben shrugged, “Have…uh, you saw her this morning?”

For the first time since she appeared at the door, a smile formed on Leia’s face. She knew he was feeling anxious and not just about the ceremony. She patted him on the shoulder comfortingly.

“I have and she’s absolutely fine,” she soothed, “She’s getting dressed just now. Which is something all of you should be doing so come on. Up. Dressed!”

Ben groaned, Leia grabbing him by the shoulders and shoving him to his feet as best she could be considering her son was almost double her height. At least he knew Rey was alright. He could still scent her, albeit faintly considering there were so many others in the building with them, but she was there and that’s what counted.

“Han, are you coming?” Han paled, quickly pulling himself together.

“Um, actually sweetheart, I had some last-minute wedding day talk I wanted to have with Ben…you know, father and son stuff?”

Ben bit the inside of his cheek hard to hide the amused smile that threatened to appear on his face, Poe suddenly becoming very interested in the label on the scotch bottle while Finn could only cover his mouth with his hand. Leia rolled her eyes.

“Alright _fine_ ,” She snapped, “I want to see all of you down the stairs. Guests are going to be arriving in two hours and you need to double check everything with Luke before the ceremony!”

The men nodded in agreement, promising that they would indeed be dressed and ready by the time the remainder of the guests appeared, leaving Leia to close the door, her voice screeching from down the hall about flowers and how they were in the wrong place.

No sooner had the men relaxed, Poe pouring them each another drink, did the door open again and Luke rushed inside.

“Has Leia been here?” Han smirked.

“Hiding from her too huh?” He surmised with a wry smile grabbing the scotch bottle, “Drink?”

“…God yes,”

00000

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“I think I just head Leia shouting something about flowers?” Rey said curiously, peering towards the closed door that leads out to the hallway, “Do you think I should go out and help?”

“No!” Rose said, jumping from where she sat on the bed, “You will do no such thing! Everything is great. All you need to do is relax and enjoy the fact that in a few hours’ time you’re going to be walking down the aisle!”

Rey grinned, excitement fluttering in her stomach. She was sure that their daughter felt it too, the unborn baby seemingly unable to keep still.

“God Rey, you look…unbelievable,” Rose gasped, taking her all in for the first time, “Ben is going to be blown away when he sees you,”

Rey was already dressed and ready. Shopping for the perfect wedding dress hadn’t exactly been easy when she knew that anything she picked months before the day was going to have to be altered and suitable for her growing body. Standing staring at herself in the mirror, Rey knew she had made the right decision.

Since she was over halfway through her pregnancy, Rey had opted for a light, one-shouldered, Grecian style dress, the empire line sitting above her bump leaving the rest of the light floaty fabric to hang comfortably over her body. The whole look was complimented by her hair being pulled into a half up-do, a braid wrapping behind her and the rest falling in light waves, a fine rose gold double hairband holding it all in place.

“I hope he likes it,” She muttered, “It’s hard to feel sexy when you’re carrying something the size of a melon around…” Rose snorted.

“Oh yeah, because he’s definitely seemed bothered,” she giggled, “I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He’s obsessed…he just loves you so much…”

“Rose…are you crying?” Rey asked turning to her friend from the mirror, watching the girl loudly sniff back tears.

“I hope not because this make-up took too long to ruin now!” Rose laughed, “It’s just…it’s like a God damn fairy tale, y’know? You have everything you ever wanted and I’m just so _so_ happy for you,”

“Please don’t cry Rose because then I’ll cry, and my make-up is too perfect to ruin now!” Rey said with a watery laugh, her throat tightening with the effort to hold back her tears.

The girls grabbed a tissue each from the nightstand as a knock sounded at the door.

“Come in!”

“Are you ladies decent?” Han asked, his head appearing around the door, “Ah jeez, I seem to have a habit for finding upset women today!”

“Not upset!” Rey insisted, dabbing at her eyes, “Happy tears, these are happy tears,”

Han regarded his future daughter-in-law with a warm smile, his own eyes threatening to tear up and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Rey, you’re an absolute vision,” Han smiled, “I’m so glad my son found someone like you. Honestly, you’re the best thing that’s happened to this family. I mean that,”

“I swear you’re all trying to ruin my face today,” Rey choked, trying her best not to cry, “Thank you, you don’t know how much that means to me,”

“I actually had something I wanted to ask you,” Han said carefully, his hand shoved awkwardly in his suit pocket as he rocked on his heels, “I know you don’t, um…have family and, well, this being a special day and all…I was wondering who you were going to walk with?”

“Walk?”

“You know…down the aisle?” Han finished awkwardly.

Rey paused. Finn had offered to walk her down the aisle, but she had told him that she was going to walk herself. She never had a father figure in her life before and this was another thing she had thought to do by herself.

“Oh, uh…nobody I suppose,” Han nodded.

“Well…since you’re part of this family now and… I know it’s normally the father of the bride doing the giving but I’d be privileged to walk with you…if you want…”

Rey felt her breath catch in her chest, gasping at the older man in front of her as he stood awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with having to voice his heartfelt offer. She had never needed anyone growing up, deciding from a young age it was best never to rely on anyone, but deep down she had always craved that parental love that was denied to her.

Now, on her wedding day, her father-in-law was trying to show her, in his own obstinate way, that she was really part of a family.

_Fuck the make-up_

Rushing forward she grabbed him as best she could in a fierce hug, tears streaming down her face unchecked, overwhelmed by the love she was being shown. Han huffed a laugh, patting her on the back.

“Thank you,” she cried softly, “Thank you…for him, for everything,”

“Don’t mention it, kid,”

00000

After all the excitement and activity of the morning, it was comforting to Rey to finally have a moments peace. Rose had left her to head down the stairs as per Leia’s instructions, leaving Rey completely alone in the bedroom, sitting on the edge of the bed caressing her bump through the soft fabric of her dress.

Idly, she wondered what their daughter would be when she was born. An Alpha and Omega pairing almost never bore a Beta child. There were so few Omegas and Rey knew first hand just how awkward it could be growing up with such a designation. It would be alright, Rey would make sure of it. She would teach her daughter the lessons she had to learn by herself growing up.

_Coffee_

_Chocolate_

_Ginger_

_Cinnamon_

_MateMateMate_

Rey’s head snapped up to look at the door. She scented him before she heard him, any anxiety that was in the pit of her gut dissolving away into blissful serenity knowing he was nearby.

“Rey?”

He was on the other side of the door, not wanting to intrude before the ceremony but he had been going stir crazy for the past hour. Poe and Finn had made themselves scarce, leaving him alone to prepare and he had been on his way down the stairs when he had finally been able to scent her properly. Like a lighthouse in a storm, he had drifted towards her.

“Ben?” Rey called, standing and walking towards the door, “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, I just…I missed you,” he finished, feeling more than a little foolish by his admission. Great, now he could barely go a few hours in the same house as his mate without seeing her? Was it the pregnancy hormones flying around, the fact they were so compatible and their biochemistry was calling or was he really becoming that reliant on her presence?

While part of him thought it was something interesting that he could note down for his book, he mainly felt embarrassed that he was becoming so soft.

“It doesn’t matter though,” he muttered, “I’ll leave you to finish getting ready,”

“No, Ben…I missed you too,” Rey confessed, knocking on her side of the door to get his attention, “It _is_ bad luck to see the bride before the wedding though,”

“Sweetheart I think we’ve had enough bad luck to last a lifetime,” Ben said, “But I know…let’s not push it. How’s our daughter?”

“Active. I think she’s as nervous as her mother,” Rey laughed, “I wish I could touch you at least”

Ben suddenly smiled, a strange idea forming in his head.

“Keep your back against the door,”

“What?”

“Keep your back against the door,” he repeated, turning the handle slowly and pushing the door inwards.

Rey did as she was told, keeping her back against the wood. He carefully pushed into the room, taking in the chaos caused by two women preparing for a wedding but while he could smell her sweet, familiar scent, he still couldn’t see her, making sure he kept on his side of the door.

“Ben…this is weird,” Rey giggled, and she heard him laugh lightly in return, the deep timbre of his voice echoing in the room.

“I know. Just go with it,”

From his side of the door, he reached around with his arm, feeling his way towards her until his hand made contact with her skin, her warmth under his fingers instantly soothing his senses and exciting him all at once when he felt her fingers lock with his.

“You know, if your mother catches us like this she’s going to have a fit,”

“That is true, unprotected hand holding is frowned upon” he quipped, “I’ll go downstairs in a minute. I just…I just wanted to check on you. I can’t wait to see you,”

“Can you believe we made it this far?” Rey said, giving his hand a squeeze that he returned.

“I can,” he said sincerely, “I really can,”

“Ben? Are you up there?” Poe shouted from the bottom of the stairs, “It’s time to come down before your mother loses her shit!”

Rey laughed, hearing Ben groan.

“Don’t worry. I promise we’ll get our time together,” she said, giving his hand another squeeze.

“I’ll see you out there sweetheart,” he drawled, “Try not to leave me waiting too long,”

Rey tried not to sigh sadly, feeling his fingers slip away from hers as he left, closing the door again behind her. She checked the time on the nightstand, excitement pooling in her gut.

_30 minutes and counting_

The rest of her life was in front of her. Rey was done waiting.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey's wedding - Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Every time I've set how many chapters I'm going to finish this story on, my mind has other plans! Sincerely, thank you for continuing to follow this ABO Romance.
> 
> The poem used in the wedding is actually one that was said at my own wedding ceremony. I love it, I use it all the time and I still tear up when I think of it!
> 
> Our babies are tying the knot ya'll!

[](https://imgur.com/hAbvTSi)

Ben had never considered himself a poetic kind of guy.

He didn’t find himself waxing lyrical about sunsets, he could appreciate the beauty of a nice view, but walking out to the large garden of his parent’s home, Ben felt genuinely breathless.

What had been a plain open stretch of land had been transformed. A large, dark wooden fence now circled the perimeter of the back of the house, a gate leading out towards the path that Ben and Rey had walked. Raised borders with a cornucopia of different flowers bathed the place in color and light. The trees that had been planted were adorned with string lights overhead and hidden in the branches were hanging jars with candles, ready to be lit for the evening.

Rows of dark wooden benches were laid out with an aisle of scattered rose petals leading towards an archway covered in flowers.

“Do you like it?” he heard his mother ask behind him and he turned, his mouth hanging in awe as he looked around the place.

“It’s…Mom, I don’t know what to say…” he stammered, “Thank you, for all of this. We couldn’t have done this without you,”

“You know, for the longest time I was worried I’d never get the chance to do this for you,” she gushed, “You were so angry, especially after the Dartmouth incident and…”

“It doesn’t matter anymore Mom,” he said kindly, “Let the past die. We have so much more to look forward to,”

“Yes, you do!” Leia agreed, her eyes shining, “I love you, Benjamin,”

“I love you too, Mom,” he smiled, trying not to get choked up himself, “Hey…where’s Dad, shouldn’t he be down here? People are already arriving,”

“Oh, he wanted to speak to Rey before the ceremony,” Leia replied, “Don’t worry. He’ll be here. Now, go and mingle with people, say hello. You don’t have long!”

She turned him, gently pushing him in the direction of the guests who had begun to arrive. There were various family members, all mainly from his mother’s side who wished him well, commenting on how grown up he was and asking how his work was coming along.

“Oh, my word, Ben Solo, you scrub up well!” Holdo smiled widely at him, hugging him in greeting, “I can’t remember the last time I saw you so formal. You don’t even dress that well for graduations!”

“I figured getting married was as good a time as any,” he laughed, running his hand through his hair anxiously. Holdo smirked.

“I haven’t seen you this nervous since I pulled you two into my office that day,” she said, “How are you holding up?” Ben nodded tensely.

“Good. Yeah, good…good,”

“So, you’re terrified?”

“Little bit…”

“Don’t be,” she said confidently, “Listen, in all my years as a scientist, I have never seen a mated pair quite like you two. If I had the time, I’d want to study you! As a person, I have never seen two people more suited to be with each other. You deserve this Ben, you both do, and I’m so grateful that you’d ask me to be here today,” Ben tilted his head curiously at the woman.

“Of course. I know Rey already thanked you, but I never got the chance to say personally, thank you. You risked a lot for us so many times and I’ll never be able to repay you for that. You’re not just my co-worker, you’re our friend and we love you for it,”

Holdo felt herself tearing up, her bottom lip quivering, taken aback by his overwhelming sincerity. She reached forward, pulling him into a hug and kissing him on the cheek.

“I love you both too,” she sniffed, “You take care of those girls, Ben,”

A shout sounded suddenly from the front of the garden by the wedding arch that sent Ben’s heart into a frantic pace, beating a staccato against his ribs.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, if you could please take your seats…”

00000

“Are you okay?”

“…Yeah,”

“…You sure?”

“Yes,”

“Okay but…”

“ROSE!”

She was shaking. She knew she was shaking but she couldn’t help it. The guests had taken their seats and she knew he was there, waiting for her. She imagined him looking so handsome in his tux, standing next to Poe trying not to fidget with his hands as he tended to do when he was nervous.

They stood at the back of the house, Rose smoothing out Rey’s skirts as they prepared to round the path towards where her mate was standing. His scent was so strong to her, over the other people, Alphas, and occasional Omegas, over the flowers and food and alcohol. He was all she could focus on.

Her heart leaped in her chest, feeling like it was about to clog her throat as the music started. Classical piano, simple and beautiful ringing through the summer air. Rose turned to her, hugging her friend tightly, bidding her own tears to hold back until she had at least made it to her place.

“I love you,” she whispered to her friend, turning and beginning her walk, leaving Rey and Han.

Looping her shaking arm through her father-in-law’s, Rey sucked in a deep breath.

_Breathe. Just breathe._

“You ready?” Han asked with a warm, charming smile that reminded her so much of his son. She nodded shakily.

“Don’t let me fall?”

“I got you, kid,”

The piece the piano was playing changed. It was now or never and holding her head high, Rey walked forward with Han, her grip tight on his arm as they ventured outside.

It was so perfect it almost made her cry, her chest fit to burst with the pure emotion of the moment. The afternoon sun hung high in the cloudless blue sky, the garden a riot of beauty, color, and joy, the air smelling sweet of flowers and summer.

Then she saw him.

_MateMateMate_

The smile on his face was one of wonder and at that moment, as if her mind was flicking through a book, she saw everything that had brought them here.

_“Is this going to be a problem?” “No…you’re taking your suppressants, right?”_

_“Harkness! Step away from Miss Jackson, NOW!”_

_“You want to play with me little Omega?”_

_“That…can’t happen again,” “But…why?”_

_“Say you’ll be mine…I want you…only ever you…” “Take me Alpha,”_

_“I love you…I love you so fucking much it’s terrifying,”_

_“You want to go on a date?”_

_“It’s perfect. It’s so fucking perfect,”_

_“God isn’t doing this to you…your Omega is…”_

_“I’m your family now,”_

_“Come on sweetheart…please open your eyes, come back to me,”_

_“Rey Jackson, put that box down!”_

_“Rey, will you marry me?”_

_“So…so…you’re…we’re…” “Pregnant,”_

_“I don’t deserve you,” “Yes, you do,”_

_“Ben…did you…have you bought this place?”_

_“Try not to leave me waiting too long,”_

_AlphaAlphaAlpha_

_MateMateMate_

She felt like she was floating as she walked towards him, vaguely aware of the smiling faces all gazing at her, but all she could see was her mate standing with a wide, warm smile on his face, his dark eyes shining at her with so much love and admiration that it threatened to knock the air from her lungs.

Finally, they reached the arch, Han giving her a kiss on the cheek and a wink before placing her hand on his son’s and taking his seat next to Leia.

His touch against her hand was electric and soothing all at once, sending a riot of emotions through her body and a surge of hormones into her blood. They were both spiking, she knew that but couldn’t care. It was their wedding. It was to be expected. Luke glanced between both, Ben giving him the nod to begin.

“We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Ben and Rey,” Luke began, his voice ringing clear and gentle through the air, “Two souls already bound together by biology…so they might as well make it legal!”

The crowd, along with Rey and Ben laughed lightly at Luke’s small joke. It was true. They were already bound by their biochemistry that it almost felt silly to want that piece of paper.

“For centuries, Alphas and Omegas have found each other, binding themselves to another in a way so profound that to this day, we still don’t understand how deep that connection truly goes. Once in a lifetime, an Alpha and Omega will find that person, that mate, who matches them completely. The science community calls them ‘hormone fully sync compatible’ but the world knows them as ‘soulmates’…and that’s exactly what Ben and Rey are,”

_MateMateMate_

“Before we move onto the vows,” Luke continued, “Ben and Rey have prepared some words of their own,”

She was helpless under his gaze, her breath coming in shallow pants as she stared into his fathomless eyes. Would she ever tire of how he looked at her? Like she was the only being connecting him to the world. He squeezed her hand gently, a shy smile on his face.

“I’m a scientist. That’s my job,” Ben began, his deep voice wavering ever so slightly, “For the longest time I thought I knew how things worked, I had done the research, I’d taken the tests…hell, I wrote a book! But nothing prepared me for the day you walked into my life and you brought color to my world. Rey, I’m not perfect. I’ll say stupid things sometimes, I’ll let my instincts take over and I’ll be overprotective, but I promise you, that you will never find anyone in the world who loves you and our daughter as much as I do,”

Tears spilled over her lids, trailing down her cheeks and suddenly Rey was glad of the setting spray Rose had insisted on layering her with. It was so much, his voice, his scent, his overwhelming public declaration of love and devotion. She almost didn’t acknowledge that it was her turn to speak and suddenly she worried that her words wouldn’t come.

“I’ve been alone for almost my whole life,” she said, “Everything I learned I had to teach myself and pretty early on I began to think that if I wanted something done, I had to just do it myself because other people would let you down. Then I met you…and I felt it deep in my bones that I wasn’t alone anymore. I love you as a person, as my mate, my Alpha…because you’ve given me everything I ever dared to dream of,”

Leia sat openly crying, tears running down her face as she fruitlessly tried to contain them with a tissue. Even Han, normally so composed and stoic, felt himself well up, his eyes pricking with tears and a lump in his throat.

Luke stepped forward again, producing a long piece of white ribbon.

“This rope represents your love, your connection, and your matehood,” he said, “Ben, please place your hand over Rey’s and repeat after me,”

_Across the years I will walk with you_

_In deep forests; on shores of sand_

_And when our time walking the earth is through_

_In heaven, too, you’ll have my hand_

Their hands were bound as they repeated the words, the pair unable to look away from the other. Rey wanted to commit every single second to her memory, his voice, his eyes, every detail down to the faint summer breeze that caressed them.

She had seen all kinds of expressions cross his face before. Unadulterated rage, heartbreak, amusement, but nothing compared to how he was looking at her now in wonderment and love.

_MateMateMate_

The ribbon was removed, and they turned to each other, holding hands.

“The rings please,”

Poe stepped forward, nervously reaching into the pocket of his jacket and producing a small, rose gold band.

“Ben, repeat after me,”

There in the summer afternoon sun, in the Organa-Solo garden, surrounded by friends and family, Ben repeated the words Rey had dreamed of so many times.

“I, Benjamin Solo, take you Rey Jackson, to be my wife. I promise to protect you from harm, to care for you, to remain loyal to you always, in sickness and in health, until death do us part,”

His hand trembled pushing the delicate ring onto her finger, the jewellery fitting snugly next to her engagement ring, the look in his eyes and the full force of his words threatening to bring her to her knees and it was only his hand in hers, holding her to the earth that kept her stable enough to repeat her own vows.

“I, Rey Jackson, take you, Benjamin Solo, to be my husband. I promise to love and cherish you, to stand with you against all obstacles and remain loyal to you always, in sickness and in health, until death do us part,”

“Rey and Ben have spoken their vows and declared their love in matrimony in front of witnesses. By the power invested in me by the Humanist Association and the state of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife…you may kiss the bride,”

They barely heard the rapturous applause as their lips connected in a kiss so tender, so full of meaning that Rey was certain this time her knees really would give way, but his strong arms around her body held her steady, their eyes closed to the rest of the world. All they felt were each other, it was all that mattered. He rested his forehead against hers as they pulled away, whispering how much he loved her.

_HusbandMateHusband_

00000

Their walk back up the aisle had been a riot of color and sound. Confetti was thrown everywhere, covering everything in its path as their closest friends and family cheered and shouted their congratulations.

Ben held her close, her small hand tucked safely into the crook of his arm as she leaned on him, suddenly shy of all the attention on them.

It was an agonizingly slow pace for Ben. Guests were ushered to another part of the large garden for drinks while the ceremony area was being prepared for the dinner portion of the evening, Leia immediately springing to action and instructing the hires where to put everything before running inside to check on the caterers.

Every step they took they were stopped by someone giving their congratulations with a teary hug and kiss on the cheek. It was to be expected, he knew, they were the bride and groom. Of course, people were going to want to talk to them at _their wedding,_ but it didn’t make it any less frustrating when all he wanted to do was get his new wife alone.

“I know,” Rey whispered in his ear, “Soon baby, I promise,”

_Not soon enough_

He growled under his breath, fixing a tight smile on his face when another guest approached to offer their congratulations and tell them what a beautiful ceremony it was. Slowly, Rey found themselves moving through the room until they were almost at the edge of the living room and she felt her hand being tugged towards the stairs.

As soon as they made it to a guest bedroom, any bedroom, he was on her, kissing her fiercely, his hands coming to cup her cheeks and he groaned feeling her fingers move up his neck, wrapping around his hair. The tension against his scalp was electric, sending a shock down his spine and a signal directly to his already stiffening cock.

“I had to get you alone,” he panted, “This whole morning has been fucking torture!”

Rey grinned impishly at him, her hands trailing down the front of his tux jacket. His breathing grew more ragged, a low rumble emanating from his chest feeling her hands reach the waistband of his dress pants.

“I can see _someone_ has missed me,” she teased, “But you know…we can’t hide away for long. It’s kind of our day, I’m sure someone will notice that we’re both missing,”

He held behind her neck, his fingers dancing over her mating gland before he pulled her back towards him, kissing her soundly.

“Fuck them,” he rasped, “I want to steal at least 15 minutes alone with my _wife,_ ”

_Wife_

His voice was lower, richer, as he said the word, desire and straight up lust blooming low in her. She was his and he was hers, the whole world knew it and, Christ, Rey hadn’t ever expected something so simple to turn her on so much.

Or maybe it was the hormones?

“Say it again, Alpha,” she demanded roughly, her hazel eyes lighting up with pure want for the man in front of her. Her _husband_.

“Wife,” he drawled, drawing out the word seductively, practically growling as his coffee eyes darkened impossibly.

She grabbed him roughly by his hair, her lips crashing on his and he immediately granted her access to his mouth. Fuck the make-up, she could always reapply. Fuck the people waiting for them down the stairs, they weren’t going anywhere. She wanted him _now._ Her husband. Her mate. Her Alpha.

His hands grabbed at her dress as best he could, and he let out a groan in frustration.

“You have too many skirts for this,” he snapped, his voice almost whining as he pawed at the fabric. It was a lighter dress than anything she could have picked but there were still multiple layers and her swollen stomach made it even more difficult to hitch the damn thing up and grant him access.

The fact her hands had unbuckled his belt and were wandering south of his waistband weren’t helping matters, his concentration focused on the feeling of her hand on his painfully hard cock.

“Fuck sweetheart, that feels amazing,” he groaned as she stroked him, “but we need to work out how to get that dress off you…”  Rey shrugged.

“Don’t worry about me,” she breathed, “This is for you, _husband_ ,”

He frowned in helpless annoyance. There was no way they could quickly get that damn dress off and back on without anyone possibly knowing what they were up to if they didn’t already, but he wasn’t thrilled at the idea that he would leave her wanting.

“Shh,” she soothed, kissing him, “Don’t overthink it. You’ll get me alone later,”

While her hands were doing _wonderful_ things, Ben had never seen a more miraculous sight in his life than his mate, dropping to her knees in front of him while in her wedding dress, shimming his pants further down his hips, his throbbing cock, leaking precum copiously, hot and hard in her hand.

He watched dumbstruck, unable to do anything except watch as her tongue darted out to swipe over his head.

_Knock_

“FU-”

Ben found his bitter curse cut off by Rey’s hand suddenly flying over his mouth and he scowled, his eyes firmly fixed on whoever was dumb enough to interrupt them. His breathing heavy through his flared nostrils, his heady scent spiking wildly.

“Guys? You’re needed back downstairs, Leia is about to throw a fit that nobody can find you,” Finn called from the other side of the door. Rey smiled apologetically at Ben, feeling him growl against her fingers.

“Okay, we’ll be a few minutes,” Rey called back, far more composed than her husband, “I just had to take a break for a second. Baby…stuff…” She wrinkled her nose, rolling her eyes at herself for her lame excuse but what else could she say? She was hardly in a position to think quickly when their combined hormones and pheromones were driving them crazy.

“Do you need me to bring you anything?”

“No! She’s fine!” Ben snipped, freeing his mouth, “We’ll be down in just a minute…”

They both paused, listening carefully to hear Finn walk away from the door. Once Rey was completely satisfied that her friend had left, she slowly sunk back down to her knees.

“You…you don’t have to…” His protests felt weak in his ears because really, he felt like he was going implode if he didn’t feel her perfect mouth on him, his animal instincts fighting tooth and nail against his want to be a gentleman.

She gazed up at him with bright eyes, his twitching cock in her hands.

_Christ that’s some view_

“We have a few minutes, are you really going to spend it arguing with me over a blowjob?”

_Well when you put it like that_

His lack of answer was all the encouragement Rey needed and she took him into her hot, waiting mouth. He inhaled sharply feeling her tongue drag up the underside of him, covering him in her spit so she could work him with her hand while her mouth settled into a dizzying rhythm around his head, her tongue teasing his weeping slit.

“Fuck sweetheart,” he moaned, “You look so fucking beautiful…the things I’m going to do to you when I get you alone tonight,”

“What are you going to do to me, tell me,” She breathed, her hand drifting up his thigh to caress his balls, drawing a groan from him.

“I’m going to strip you down, have you naked on the bed where I can worship every inch of you with my mouth…” he breathed, tension building in his hips.

“I’m going to fuck your perfect cunt with my tongue, explore every inch of you,” He felt her humming against him, moaning low in her throat, the vibrations driving him closer to the edge.

“Then I’m going to fuck my wife, my mate until you’re screaming my name with my knot holding my cum deep inside you where it fucking belongs!” he moaned with difficulty, his head spinning from the duel sensation of her mouth, her hand and her excited, spiking scent.

His body tensed, his thighs clenching as he growled his release, thick ropes of his seed spilling down her waiting throat that she swallowed greedily. His head tilted back as he sucked in a gasping breath, his heart racing while his body was flooded with endorphins.

Her scent would smell even more of him now than before, soothing his erratic Alpha instincts. He couldn't care less in that moment that every Alpha in the place would be able to scent it too.

Wiping her mouth carefully, she stood, accepting his lazy, docile kiss.

“There’s my Alpha,” she grinned, stroking his face and smoothing his messed-up hair.

“Husband,” he corrected, kissing her again.

Roughly he tucked himself back into his boxers, pulling his pants back up and reconnecting his belt while Rey smoothed out her dress. They still looked presentable, but you would have to have been blind to not realize they had been up to something. Rey was just touching up her lipstick when another knock sounded at the door.

“Rey? Ben? Seriously, Leia is about to go into meltdown because you still need to get your pictures taken before the dinner starts!” Rose called through the door.

“Okay, just coming,”

Ben shot Rey a wry grin, pleased with his own pun, and she couldn’t help herself but snigger at the awful joke. When she was satisfied they were presentable as they could be, she grabbed his hand.

“Come on big guy,”

_Husband_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a wedding part 3 because what kind of monster would I be if I put my babies through everything and then didn't give them a wedding night?!


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben's wedding part 3 - The Wedding Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 more chapter to go and then an epilogue! I'm going to miss writing this story so much, I'm not quite ready to leave this world that I've created yet but I'm so proud of it.
> 
> See if you can find the subtle/not so subtle tribute to KyloTrashForever's story "Red but not quite" - If you haven't read it yet then what are you waiting for?! It's glorious!
> 
> Come and say hi on Tumblr - https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/ and https://itspixelbitch.tumblr.com/

[ ](https://imgur.com/nN0zxuk)

By the time they had emerged back down the stairs Leia was standing at the base, her hands on her hip and a sly smile on her face.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you two were up to,” She said, “How about you both save it for tonight hmm?”

The knowing glint in her eye and the smirk on her face was enough to cause a blush to rise on Rey’s face, her neck flushing with heat. Ben had only smirked at his mother smugly, the woman rolling her eyes at the audacity of her son, reaching up and swatting the back of his head as he walked past her.

He had mumbled something about being a grown man, but Leia either didn’t hear him or chose to ignore him. Rey was willing to bet it was the latter.

The garden had been transformed once more. The benches had disappeared only to be replaced with round tables covered in ivory cloths, decorated with fresh flowers of all colors. All the guests had taken their seats, laughing and smiling as they sipped their champagne before their food arrived.

The sound of cutlery clinking on glass rang through the air, bringing the gathered crowd to a hush and Ben stood from his seat. Poe had already finished his best man speech, mainly poking fun at how often Ben wanted to murder him.

“I know most of you are going to be thrilled to find out that we’re not going to bore you with speeches the whole night,” he said with a smile, “On behalf of Rey and I, I want to thank you all for being here with us today. We know our relationship didn’t exactly have the most conventional start, but it means the world that we have family and friends who are not only understanding but supportive as well,”

He turned his attention to Leia and Han who were sitting a few seats down at the head table.

“Mom, Dad, I know that for the longest time we didn’t see eye to eye and for that, I’m sorry, but you’ll never know how much it means to me that you didn’t judge us and that you accepted Rey immediately, without hesitation. I couldn’t ask for better parents. To Han and Leia!”

He raised his glass in a toast, the rest of the guests following suit as Leia began to tear up once more. Ben then turned to the opposite side of the table, where Poe, Finn, and Rose sat.

“Without you guys, I don’t know where we would be today. Poe and Finn, you were protecting Rey long before I was, and I hope I live up to the example you set,” He said, smiling warmly at them, “And Poe…I’m sorry but the next 4 months are going to be tense. It’s nothing personal buddy! To Finn and Poe,”

Finally, he fixed his attention on Rose while Rey was dabbing at her eyes. She was sure by the end of the meal her make-up, already touched up more than once that day, was going to be ruined.

They had decided on a less traditional approach to the speeches. Han hadn’t wanted to say anything, claiming he was uncomfortable with these things and since Rey didn’t have a father to make a speech they had decided that to keep things simple, it should have just been down to Poe as the best men and Ben’s grooms speech.

“And last but not least, this person gets a special mention,” Ben grinned, “Rose Tico was actually my student when we first met. Zero attention span and with a way of getting right under my skin…possibly one of the most disorganized bachelor students I’ve ever taught…”

“I hope you’re going somewhere with this pro-so…”

“But in the time since I’ve known her, Rose has shown herself to be one of the finest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Nobody has been more supportive or loyal a friend to my wife, eventually to me as well, and I know that when our daughter is born she’s going to have a hell of a role model to look up to. I’d like everyone to raise your glass to Rose,”

“To Rose!”

“Jesus, Ben,” she sniffed loudly, her voice quivering with emotion, “That was…you didn’t have to do that…”

“No, I did,” he said sincerely, “And hey, you didn’t call me pro-so!”

“Don’t get used to it,” Rose winked, glugging back her champagne.

For Rey, the remainder of their wedding day was like a blur. She struggled to circulate, too many people all wanting to monopolize the brides time. It was hard enough that it was a small wedding and she had dreaded to think how overwhelmed she may have felt if they had invited any more people.

More than once she had to be rescued by Ben or one of her friends when she began to panic. Ben had to bite the inside of his cheek particularly hard to stop himself from snapping at some well-meaning guests who continued to reach out and touch her bump, invading his mate's personal space. One particularly sharp spike in her scent had him by her side in an instant, shooting the people a tight smile and ushering Rey away from them.

_Protect Defend Protect_

“I just didn’t know how to politely say no,” Rey muttered, “And she won’t stop kicking!”

From then on, Ben had kept her close to him the remainder of their evening.

The day may have passed by in a blur for Rey but for Ben, it had crawled at a frustrating and slow pace. First there were the speeches, followed by a beautiful 4-course dinner. He had watched from the corner of his eye as Rey didn’t so much eat her food, as move it around her plate, taking no more than a few bites.

“Everything alright sweetheart?” he whispered to her and she tilted her head to smile up at him reassuringly.

“Of course, yeah everything is perfect. I’m just not really hungry…”

He had let it go but since she wasn’t normally put off her food, it was still niggling at the back of his mind.

Their first dance had been as sweet as everyone had expected, swaying around the erected wooden dancefloor that had been built once the tables had cleared, to Lana Del Rey’s ‘Videogames’ since it was Rey’s favorite.

The world around them had fallen away, surrounded by the softening summer sun, the lamps in the trees and the string lights bathing the garden in a warm glow and Rey knew she would remember every detail of his handsome face, his dark eyes tinged with amber, for the rest of her life. He kissed her slowly, softly, his full lips tenderly moving against hers until she was dizzy, gripping his shoulders for support.

_MateMateMate_

Once the dancing had begun in earnest, Ben felt like he was counting down the minutes until he could feasibly whisk his bride away. Nobody anticipated they would stay the whole night. Rey was pregnant for a start and people expected that they would want some alone time.

Rey was dancing with Rose and Finn, laughing and looking radiant under the lights as Ben stood at the side of the garden, finishing his drink. He checked his watch again and frowned.

“You know, you’re not exactly being subtle,” Poe joked, coming to join his friend, “It’s still kinda early,”

“Don’t remind me,” Ben sighed but continued to smile watching his wife enjoying herself, “The car isn’t going to be here until 10 pm anyway I guess…”

“I’ll be amazed if you make it that long,” Poe drawled, “but didn’t you guys already…”

“How do you know that?” Ben said, perhaps a little sharper than he intended, but Poe only chuckled, indicating for the bartender to pour him another drink.

“I could smell it on you the second you came back,” he shrugged, “You’ve also had lipstick on your collar since then too…I’d imagine there’s lipstick elsewhere…”

“Poe…” Ben warned, taking the drink from the bar. Poe held his hands up, grinning in amusement.

“I’m kidding. Relax buddy! Honestly, I’m amazed you’ve lasted the whole day with so many other Alphas in the place,”

“It’s not been easy,” Ben admitted, “But it’s her day. I’m not going to spoil it by throwing someone through a fence…”

“That’s the spirit!” Poe laughed, clapping his friend on the shoulder as the band changed the song, “Come on, let’s go and dance. I have my own date to impress!”

Downing his drink, the bourbon sending warmth through his chest, Ben grinned, joining his wife and her friends on the dancefloor.

00000

_Finally_

They had said their farewells, Rey tearfully kissing her friends and in-law’s and thanking them for the beautiful day. Ben had done the same, albeit a little more impatiently than Rey had. Except for their sinfully private moment that they had stolen, they hadn’t had a moment’s peace to be alone together and Ben was done waiting.

So was Rey.

The moment they were in the back of the SUV, her hands were on him, skimming up his thigh towards his dick that twitched almost painfully in response as if seeking her touch. He bit his lip hard to keep from groaning, his wife giggling insolently next to him.

“Keep that up and we won’t make it to the bed,” he growled under his breath, a sideways smile on his face as his own hands caressed her leg.

_God damn dress_

“I’m counting on it,” she quipped with an innocent shrug, “So, where are we going? I thought we’d be staying at the house,”

“Sweetheart, you must be out of your mind if you thought for a second that I was spending my wedding night with you at my parent’s house,” he grinned, “I have plans and they don’t involve either of us being quiet,”

The low rumble of his voice sent a shiver of excitement down her spine, directly to her core. Briefly, she wondered if it was the added hormones of her pregnancy that was making her react to him this way but no, he had always been able to pull this response from her body, even outside of her heat. It was just him, like her own personal drug.

Without knowing the destination, it surprised Rey when the car suddenly stopped, having only been traveling for less than 15 minutes. They stopped outside a beautiful, single level cottage on the shore of the lake, hidden among the trees without any other homes nearby. A pang of excitement jumped in her chest. They would be completely alone.

_Finally_

Thanking the driver as quickly as he could, Ben grabbed her hand to lead her up the path and into the cottage. The inside was as beautiful as she had expected, all-natural wood set off with neutral colored walls and furnishings. Calm and tranquil.

The complete opposite of how they were both feeling.

Her body trembled in anticipation feeling him approach her slowly from behind, his hands barely a whisper on her skin as he traced his fingers from her wrists to her shoulders, his lips on her neck, his facial hair scratching delightfully against the sensitive skin near her racing pulse.

Alone with him, secluded away without prying eyes and other scents muddling with theirs, Rey suddenly felt a strange shyness take over. She wanted to laugh at the ridiculous notion, after everything they had been through and done together, that she would suddenly feel bashful around him.

His scent was everything in that moment. Powerful, strong and dominant but comforting, bringing back the memory of when she had first scented him walking into his office. It saturated everything that it came near, invading her nostrils and bewitching her senses until she wanted to do nothing more than please her Alpha.

_My Alpha_

“Don’t overthink it,” he whispered lowly in her ear and she whimpered, nodding compliantly, “Go to the bedroom, take off that dress and get on the bed,”

“Yes Alpha,”

In a haze of lust, she walked towards the bedroom, just as beautiful as the main room they had entered, a large four poster bed the main focal point of the room with sliding glass doors that lead out to decking directly next to the water of the lake. The only light in the room came from the fading light bouncing from the water and if she hadn’t been so delirious with need she would have stopped to appreciate just how stunning the setting he had chosen was.

_Later. You can look at the damn view later._

Quickly, she slipped from her dress, pulling off her already ruined underwear and leaving the mass of ivory fabric draped over a chair. She perched herself on the edge of the bed, bare and waiting, her body practically vibrating with eagerness.

When he appeared in the doorway, he paused, standing lips parted, breathing heavily as his eyes roamed her naked body hungrily. She sat gazing up at him with the eyes of an angel and the shy smile that he was sure the devil himself had put there to tempt him, her beautiful body glowing in the fading summer night, rounded with his child.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he breathed, “You are so beautiful,”

She blushed prettily, and it did nothing for his restraint. Somewhere he had already lost his tux jacket and tie, the top 3 buttons of his shirt already undone.

“Lie back on the bed,” he instructed lowly, pushing the braces off his shoulders and toeing off his shoes, removing his dress socks.

Rey shuffled back up the large bed, her breathing ragged as he stalked forward, his eyes locked on hers like a predator. He unclipped the suspenders from his dress pants, holding the black elastic in his hands.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, his face for the briefest of moments breaking from dominance, imploring her with his eyes.

_Trust Alpha. Let Alpha take care of you._

“Of course, I do,” she breathed, her chest heaving with the effort to control her hitched breathing. He grinned down at her, something between boyish excitement and wicked supremacy written in his features.

“Hands above your head,”

She smiled, doing as he asked, feeling him wrap the straps of the suspenders around her wrists gently, tying them to the headboard of the bed enough to hold her in place but with enough give that she wouldn’t hurt herself. She tested the connection, giving it, a small tug and he smirked, satisfied that she wasn’t going anywhere until he wanted her to.

“So fucking beautiful,” he murmured, watching her keenly as he slowly undid the buttons of his shirt.

This was how she was going to die, she just knew it. No Omega heat could compare to the fire that was racing through her blood as he watched her. She was the one tied and helpless for him, but he was a slave to her, completely entranced by her body, her scent.

_MateMateMate_

His shirt abandoned to the floor, he hovered over her, bending down to kiss her so tenderly that she whimpered. She felt him smile. He was going to take his time with her.

The soft skin of his lips slowly moved to the corner of her mouth, her cheek, the shell of her ear, his breath searing and hot against her skin as he moved, each kiss softer than the last, barely tracing her skin. She mewled, her breath coming in shallow pants, desperate for more contact from him.

“Patience sweetheart,” he drawled, “We have all night…”

He continued his torturous journey down her body and she gasped when his teeth grazed her nipple, his tongue lightly dancing over the hardened peak of her swollen breasts.

“Ben…please…” she moaned, her clit pulsing in response to his attention.

If he didn’t touch her soon she was sure she was going to combust but all he did was continue to trail whispering kisses down her body, his hand dancing up the sensitive skin of her inner thigh.

“Please what sweetheart?” he crooned, a benign smile on his face. She growled under her breath.

“Please…touch me, I _need_ you to touch me…” she panted. He raised his head, so he could watch her face.

“Do you?” he teased, “Like this?”

A finger traced the edge of her aching pussy lips, dragging a rough gasp from her throat and her hips instinctively lifted from the bed, desperately seeking more contact from him, her head tipping back as her eyes closed tightly.

“Fuck, baby, you’re dripping for me,” he groaned, pushing a single digit into her waiting heat. She almost screamed as he removed his hand as quickly as he had entered her, bringing his finger to his mouth and sucking it clean of her juices, “And you taste so sweet,”

“Ben…Alpha…” she babbled deliriously, pulling at the restraints above her, desperate to grab him by the hair and put those damn smirking lips to work.

Seeing her lying there, naked and soaked, her shining perfect cunt on display for him as she begged for him to touch her was almost too much for his senses, his cock throbbing in his pants, but he wouldn’t give in. Not yet.

He had groaned promises to her earlier in the day that he was determined to see through.

“Who do you belong to Omega?” He growled, his voice a low rumble in his chest, ominous as thunder.

“You…only you…”

“Damn right,”

The cry that escaped her was practically feral when he dipped between her legs, his tongue delving between her folds and lapping her throbbing pussy with the flat of his tongue, savoring her taste. He moaned as he did, finally getting what he really had wanted as well in hedonistic satisfaction.

“Yes! Fuck, yes…” Rey panted, smiling in relief at the feel of him. Next to his cock, his tongue on her aching pussy was the most sensational feeling in the world and she was going to savor every moment of it, shocks of pleasure shooting from her clit around her abdomen and tailbone.

He moved slowly, methodically probing her folds, the tip of his tongue swirling around the tight bundle of nerves, alternating his pattern and smiling against her with every delighted gasp and groan he could provoke. He was only sorry that he couldn’t look up to see her face, her swollen stomach blocking the view.

“Ben, Ben, Ben…” she chanted his name, her breathing coming in shallow pants of ecstasy as she climbed higher towards her breaking point, his teasing having already set her senses on edge. He wrapped an arm around her thigh, holding her open for him while the other found her soaked entrance, two fingers curling into her to find that perfect patch of nerves that would make her fall apart.

He was everywhere to her, wrapping her senses in a vice with his touch, his scent, the vibrations of his groans against her clit and she practically sobbed her release as she came with a gush, incoherently whispering how much she loved him among a string of curses, pulling hard against the restraints of his suspenders.

Pulling his mouth away from the pulsing nub, he continued to work her through the aftershocks, prolonging the sensation for as long as possible until her body relaxed, sinking against the mattress of the bed.

Wiping his face clean, he swiftly moved to her hands, releasing the fabric and lovingly rubbing her wrists as she brought her arms down.

“You okay?” he asked gently, a lazy smile on his face.

Wordlessly she grabbed him, his fingers fisting in his hair pulling him to her in a fierce, passionate kiss. He growled primally against her mouth, feeling her free hand fumble with the catch of his belt. She could still taste herself on his tongue.

“Take me,” she said breathlessly, “ _Husband_ ,”

He snarled, his teeth bared, jaw clenched, practically ripping the troublesome fabric from his legs, finally freeing his cock, precum dripping down his shaft.

She moved onto all fours, spreading her legs and he could _smell_ her arousal, dulling and sharpening his senses all at once. He reached out, palming her drenched core and coating himself with her, the remainder practically dripping down her thighs.

“I’m going to fuck you until you scream my name,” he rasped, “Your tight little cunt is going to be so full of my cum everyone is going to know that you’re _mine,_ ”

She cried out as he entered her with a single, sharp snap of his hips, dragging himself back out slowly until only the head remained, only to repeat the action, the force of his sudden thrusts sending her face into the mattress, muffling her moans of pleasure.

“You feel so good around my cock, sweetheart,” he groaned, his own breathing shortening, “You pussy is always so perfect for your Alpha,”

They moaned loudly, her hips coming to meet every one of his thrusts as he picked up his pace, his thighs burning with the effort of his movements. Reaching forward, he wrapped his fingers in her long, dark hair, pulling her up to her knees, her back practically flush against his chest. One arm on her hip as they moved, the other wrapped up and around her shoulder to hold her against him, her own hand reaching back to find his face.

“Fuck baby…you’re so deep…oh my God,”

She whimpered, her head tipping back to his shoulder offering access to her neck. Teeth scraping across her glands, her pulse, he continued to thrust upwards, the head of him hammering her nerves over and over.

“I love you,” he panted, “Forever, I’m yours…”

His nose traced her mating gland, the scent of her spurring him on frantically and she cried out in pleasure as pain as his teeth broke her skin, a feverish smile on her lips as she called his name into the growing darkness.

“I’m so close…please…please let me cum Alpha,” she begged, feeling the hand that had been around her hip trace lower to find her, circling quickly with pressure that was tearing her apart at the seams.

“Fuck Rey…” He moaned, “Cum with me sweetheart…I love feeling you...”

His voice, his scent, knowing that he was completely hers, that he would do anything for her, she cried out his name, her whole body shaking with the force she came, draining all the tension and strength that she had left, and she slumped against him.

“Rey, Rey, Rey…”

Her name was a chant, a prayer more holy than anything religion could offer, and he worshiped her, his knot swelling as he came in her, holding her body close against him, licking at her gland soothingly as they slowly began to come down from the euphoria of their wedding night.

They lay in contented, blissful silence together, Rey trying to snuggle into his chest with her back, desperate to be as close to him as she possibly could be. He understood, holding her tightly in his strong arms, raining kisses across her shoulder and the back of her neck.

“That was…”

“I know…” he breathed, “You’re incredible,”

“How long are we here for?” she asked with a dozy smile, feeling his nose nuzzle at the spot below her ear.

“5 days,”

“Perfect,”

_5 days alone._

She yawned suddenly, the endorphins in her body and his scent telling her that she was safe and loved and nothing was going to touch them. His hand lazily traced relaxing circles against her stomach.

“Rest up, sweetheart,” he whispered, kissing her mating gland and the fresh set of imprints left there.

“I love you Husband,” she murmured, sleep already beginning to take over her body. He smiled affectionately.

“I love you too, Mrs. Solo,”

_Wife_

_Husband_

_Mate_


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty emotional knowing this is the last chapter (There is still an epilogue coming) because this story quickly became very special to me. It's challenged me to grow as a writer and what began as a silly idea in my head to write a bit of smut turned into something much more emotional.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, given kudos, recommended my writing on tumblr and shared my work. You'll never know how appreciated it is!

[ ](https://imgur.com/fEyMfvS)

There were women who loved to claim that their whole pregnancy was a breeze.

It was a beautiful experience from start to finish, that they felt no discomfort at all, remaining radiant and graceful even when reaching full term. They would swan around in impossibly impractical outfits like something from the cover of a glossy magazine. Rey had a special name for these women.

_Fucking liars_

After their wedding, Rey and Ben had spent a blissful week completely isolated together at the cottage he had chosen for them, Rey discovering the next day when they had finally ventured from the bedroom that he had thought ahead, sending everything they would need for five days and as a result, they hadn’t once left the building.

Well, except to fuck on the decking.

It was a compromise, he had explained. Their actual honeymoon was to take place after their daughter was born so that he could take her away properly to somewhere beautiful when she wasn’t almost 30 weeks pregnant.

Her second trimester had been as pleasant as it could be. She hadn’t suffered from morning sickness; her energy had returned, and she enjoyed the vitality that so many people spoke of, her hair was thick and shiny, her skin glowing and best of all, her hormones meant that her sex life with her new husband was as strong as it ever was.

With the unrelenting heat of August, came her third trimester and the final weeks of her pregnancy. The change hit them both hard, their daughter growing larger every day. Considering the size of her father, it hadn’t surprised Rey that there was a chance their baby would be big but her small frame felt weighed down by the onslaught of extra mass. She didn’t feel like herself, her usually slender frame morphed into someone she didn’t recognize anymore and for the first time in their relationship, Rey felt insecure.

“Sweetheart, you know I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” Ben would assure her, “And you’re carrying my baby, how could I not find you attractive?”

Every day he would reassure her that he still wanted her, but every day her reaction would change. If she wasn’t bursting into tears, she was snapping at him. Her temper would normally cool as quickly as it erupted, resulting in more tears as she sobbed her apology. Try as he might, it was giving Ben emotional whiplash but as hard as it was on him, he knew it was harder on her.

_Protect Defend Protect_

She was exhausted, he knew that. He would wake to find her eyes open, staring at the ceiling after another sleepless night and his heart would hurt for her. He felt helpless. The only thing that would help her drift off was having him near, licking at her mating gland until her eyes closed. It was a vicious cycle of insomnia which leads to her exhaustion and mood swings.

“37 weeks,” Doctor Ahsoka smiled, “You’re a trooper. How are you both doing?”

Ben sat tense and worried, holding her hand in his. She could feel his trepidation, his knee bouncing in anxiety as he sat unable to keep still.

 “Not great,” Rey sighed, “Sleepless nights, I can barely breathe sometimes…my moods have been crazy,” she finished, shooting Ben an apologetic smile.

“I know it’s not pleasant, but it is all normal,” The doctor assured, wrapping the sphygmomanometer band around her arm. After a beat, they watched a frown form on the woman’s face.

“What? What’s wrong?” Ben asked anxiously.

“Your blood pressure is still higher than I would like, especially since you’re so far along,” The doctor said warily. Ben frowned, his chest constricting in worry.

“Is that going to cause a problem?”

“I won’t lie to you, Mr. Solo, it can cause complications,” the woman explained, “We’ll continue to monitor the readings. I know this isn’t what you want to hear but I’d like you to rest as much as possible, very light walking and stretches at the most. Nothing strenuous,”

She was right, it hadn’t been what Rey had wanted to hear at all, but she was stuck between her doctor and her husband, both telling her that she had to stop being so stubborn and rest.

_Between a rock and a hard place._

Following her final scan, Ben had been relentless with his attention, constantly fussing over her which often resulted in an argument. What was happening to them? This wasn’t like her and she knew it. She felt like she was having an out of body experience, watching her heavily pregnant self-pick fights over nothing out of sheer frustration for having her freedom compromised.

“Will you just listen to me for once?” Ben snapped, agitated, immediately regretting the harshness of his tone when Rey paused, her bottom lip petted and quivering with impending tears.

“Why are you yelling at me?” she whimpered. Immediately his arms were around her, pressing kisses to her hair.

“I’m sorry. I’m not yelling at you,” he breathed, her head tucked under his chin while he stroked her hair, “Sweetheart…I’m scared okay? After the last year…I’m so fucking scared that something is going to happen to you…or to her…and I just can’t handle that so _please_ …”

The weight of his words hit her and she felt like the most selfish woman alive. Of course, he was scared because after their loss, so was she, but all she had been focusing on was herself and her own fears. Instead of talking to him about them, sharing them, she had tucked them away and they erupted in bouts of frustration and anger.

She had reached up to look into his eyes, swimming with concern and love. She stroked his cheek, moving his hair out of his face and she kissed him, a silent promise that he wasn’t alone, and she was just as scared as he was.

Some nights Ben would wake in a cold sweat, his heart pounding, from nightmares so vivid he could have sworn they were real. He saw her lying back in that hospital bed, pale and unmoving. He saw and felt her heartbreak all over again from that wet December night. Like the angel he was certain he didn’t deserve, Rey was always there to smile at him, to lovingly kiss away his fear and promise that everything was alright.

“Okay baby,” she said softly, “Okay,”

Since then, while things hadn’t been easier on her body, she tried to do as she was advised. If that meant spending most of her days sitting on the sofa researching her paper, then at least she felt like she was doing _something_ productive.

Eventually, Rey had stopped reprimanding Ben for his overprotective tendencies altogether. They were coming from more than just concern. It was a deep-rooted, genetic instinct to keep her and his baby safe that the Omega in her was powerless to fight.

_Alpha is here. Alpha is keeping you safe._

But that didn’t stop his mother chastising him.

“Don’t worry son,” Han smiled, “I was exactly the same when your mother was carrying you. It’s natural and it _will_ get better,”

Ben had been less than enthused about going back to work when the new academic year started and on the morning, he was due back that late September Monday, Rey had all but kicked him out of the house and into his car, reminding him that he loved his job and that if there were any promises she would call him right away.

“No, what are the rules?”

“Call 911 _then_ call you,” she smiled, “You really have been talking to Rose too much…”

Rose had been a godsend. Since returning from her travels, she had spent almost every day with Rey in the final weeks of her last trimester, ensuring that she didn’t stress herself or do anything she wasn’t supposed to, even updating Ben via text message throughout the day

_< Rose> No need to worry pro-so. I gave her a double espresso, a pack of cigarettes and some cocaine. She’s all set for the day :D_

_< Ben> You’re not funny Tico…_

The seasons changed, fall to winter, and on a cold day in early November, as Rose and Rey sat together on her sofa, she felt a sudden pain, unlike anything she had experienced.

Rey hissed, grabbing her swollen stomach and dropping the spoon she had been holding in her hand, the metal clattering across the wooden floor of her living room. Rose immediately leaped to her feet, standing in front of her friend with her hands hovering over the baby bump.

“Rey? Oh, my God, Rey are you okay?”

Rey stilled, he hands gripping her abdomen as she felt out what was happening in her body. Another sharp pressure broke around her lower torso and she winced.

“Oh…OH!”

“Okay…Okay…Rey, I think we need to get Ben,” Rose said evenly, doing her best to keep her voice as calm and collected as possible, even if what she was really experiencing was blind panic.

No. Pro-so, Ben, had tasked her with looking after his pregnant mate and that was what Rose Tico was going to do.

“No…not yet,” Rey hissed through gritted teeth, “I don’t want him to worry, you know how he gets when he worries…”

Rose knew all too well how the six-foot-three Alpha got when he worried, especially when it came to Rey but if he found out something had happened, and nobody had informed him immediately…well, Rose didn’t want to be in front of that firing squad.

She bent down in front of her friend, making sure that she was in her eye line.

“Rey…honey, I know you’re scared and I also know that even though you don’t want him to worry, you also really want Ben right now,”

Tears sprang in her eyes. It was true, their baby was coming, and he wasn’t there with her. All she really wanted right then and there was to scent him, to have him hold her tightly and promise her that everything was going to be fine. She winced in pain again and Rose nodded sternly.

“Right, I am getting your bag and we are going to the hospital,”

00000

Ben was in the middle of a lecture when his phone began to ring, the silent buzzing of the vibrate setting echoing loudly on the desk at the front of the lecture hall. He narrowed his eyes at the device, interrupting his sentence, and tried to ignore the irony that he had told off one of his students for using their phone only ten minutes before.

“You need to get that professor?”

The male Alpha who had dared to make the comment soon shrunk back in his seat when Ben glowered at him.

_Smart-mouthed bastard_

He picked up the phone, a sharp leap in his chest when he saw Rose’s name appear. It could be nothing. It could just be Rose calling to see if he could pick something up for Rey on the way home, but then…

“I actually _do_ need to take this,” Ben said to the class, firmly glaring at the student who made the comment, “Excuse me,”

He pressed the call button, walking out into the hall.

“Rose?”

“Ben! You need to get to the hospital as soon as you can,” he heard Rose’s excited voice pant on the other end of the line, “Rey’s water broke!”

A wave of nausea passed over him as he listened to her, getting some quick details so he could hang up and get there as soon as possible.

It was happening. His wife, his _mate_ , was giving birth to their child and he was going to be a Dad and…

_Jesus fucking Christ_

He shook his head and inhaled sharply trying to bring some kind of focus back. Rey. He had to get to Rey. The students in the lecture hall jumped when the door was thrown open suddenly, Ben marching back in and grabbing his bag.

“Guys, we’re going to have to cut it short today…I’m about to become a dad…”

00000

Rey had been taken to a room almost as soon as they had arrived. She had been changed into a medical gown and was lying back on the bed, trying her best to ignore the awful, stinging pressure that was building in her body.

“You’re only dilated 3cm at the moment,” Doctor Ahsoka confirmed, “You’ve got a little while to go yet. Try and get comfortable, rest up if you can…I’m assuming your mate is on the way?”

“Yeah, I called him,” Rose said.

Rey’s head tipped back with a groan, her hands gripping her stomach as dread began to set in. It was all well and good having her doctor tell her to rest but how could she possibly rest when she felt like her insides were being twisted and tugged. The only small mercy was that her contractions were still far apart.

“Okay, so I called Leia and Han and I’ve sent a message to Finn and Poe too. Is there anything else you need? Water? Ice? Something with sugar?”

_It’s okay to cry. This is the one time you’re allowed to cry whenever you like._

Her eyes stung, Rose’s face blurring in front of her from the tears and she bit her lip to try and stop it from wobbling. She felt helpless and lost. Everything smelled _wrong_ and cold and why wasn’t her mate with her?!

“I want Ben,” she cried, a choked sob escaping her lips. Rose squeezed her hand, at a loss of what else she could really do. She was trying…but she wasn’t Ben.

“He’ll be here sweetie, I promise!” Rose said calmly, “He’s on his way from the college right now!”

Barely 10 minutes later, the door to the room burst open with so much force that it cracked against the wall, an indent where the handle had made an impact.

“You’re going to have to pay for that you know…” Rose quipped but Ben ignored her, going to his wife’s side in a few long steps and pulling her into his arms, kissing her temple and hair repeatedly as she cried in relief that he was finally next to her.

“Shh,” he crooned, “It’s okay. I’m here, I’ve got you…”

_MateMateMate_

Carefully he adjusted himself onto the bed, settling her back against his chest so she could grip his hands and he could nuzzle against her, scenting her glands as often as possible to try and give some, any, comfort.

“Fuck, this hurts,” Rey growled as a contraction washed over her, gripping his hands so tightly he could have sworn he felt a knuckle pop, “Is it meant to hurt this much?”

He didn’t have an answer for her. All he could do was kiss her, hold her close to him and mutter vague words of comfort in her ear while trying to quiet his own frayed nerves.

00000

Hours went by.

8 hours to be exact. Rey knew because she felt like she had been counting down each agonizing minute. Her contractions were moving closer together, not fast enough for Doctor Ahsoka’s satisfaction, but all they had been told was that it was still too soon to do anything, and they would study the situation. A heartbeat monitor was placed around Rey’s stomach, a gentle, intermittent beep sounding through to room to monitor both Rey and their baby.

Leia and Han had arrived at the hospital late in the evening and Ben was beginning to go out of his mind with worry. With every jolt of pain that passed through her body, he could smell her anxiety, her fear and he hated that _he_ had done this to her.

Those blissful, heady days spent in heat where they had growled, moaned and fucked like there was no tomorrow didn’t seem worth it now she was lying on a hospital bed and he couldn’t do anything. She was snarling in pain, pale except for a flush high on her cheeks and her body was covered in sweat from the strain she was under.

_Come on Solo. Time to Alpha up._

He needed to be strong for her. She didn’t need to be worrying about _his_ feelings when she was the one who was putting her body through so much stress. He breathed deeply, jaw clenched every time a contraction hit, ignoring the pain in his hand as she squeezed his knuckles and grunted through gritted teeth. She collapsed back against the propped-up pillows exhausted, sighing in relief as Ben pressed a cold cloth to her face.

By the 10th hour, a doctor came by her room and advised Rey to try and get some sleep.

“You know what, fuck that! Unless you’re going to give me something that’ll make me fucking numb from the eyebrows down that’s not going to happen, motherfucker! You try sleeping when you’re being torn up from the inside!”

Ben couldn’t even try to hide his barking laugh at his normally sweet and caring Rey cursing like a marine and the doctor leaving the room red-faced, muttering something about the possibility of painkillers. Under it all, he knew it was just the pain and the exhaustion talking.

“How are you holding up son?” Leia asked kindly, pulling Ben outside the room for a quick walk, just to give him a break. He had protested wildly but relented when even Rey told him to go and get a cup of coffee.

“I fucking hate this,” he signed helplessly, “I just…I’ve never felt so useless!”

“I know it seems that way, but you being here is the most useful thing that you can do. You know that” Leia said patiently, “You Solo boys are all practical action, but just keep holding her hand. You’re doing fine,”

Ben snorted, carding his hand through his hair and away from his face. If holding her hand was all he could do, then that’s what he was going to do.

He re-entered the room, returning to his position at her side and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

00000

“Why isn’t anything happening!?”

By the 15th hour with only minor changes, Rey’s blood pressure had skyrocketed. She was in more pain than her body could handle, exhausted and feverish. No amount of scenting, licking, or whispered promises were helping console her anymore and eventually Ben had torn himself away from his mate’s side to demand answers.

A shrill beeping sound, panicked and urgent, rang throughout the room and Ben dashed to Rey’s side, fear gripping his throat like a vice. She had turned pale as snow, her eyes closed, and she was completely unresponsive to anyone calling her name.

“Rey?” Ben begged, “Wake up, please…say something, don’t do this to me, sweetheart…”

His hands were shaking as he held her lifeless face in his palms, desperately begging her to open her eyes and look at him, to say his name. He couldn’t lose her, not now, not after everything they had been through together.

_No. Please God no._

He was so desperate in trying to get her attention that Ben didn’t notice the doctors and nurses trying to get past him.

“Sir, you’re going to have to mo…”

“No! I can’t…I won’t…She’s not moving…” he choked desperately, distraught, his eyes blurring with hot tears. Cold gripped his erratic heartbeat, a snarl rising in his throat and he wanted nothing more than to fight off anyone that would separate them.

_Protect Defend Protect_

“Ben, son, you need to let the doctors work,” He vaguely heard Han say, his grip firm around his son’s shoulders, solid and shaking with tension as tears ran unchecked down his face. Han turned Ben to him, grabbing his chin and turning his face to look him in the eye and not at the situation on the bed. In that moment, Han could see he wasn’t facing his adult son but a scared boy who needed his father.

“I can’t lose her Dad…”

“I know son,” Han sighed, pulling Ben into a crushing hug, “I know,”

If Ben had thought he had felt helpless before, it was nothing in comparison to being forcefully removed from the room as the doctors worked on her, barely able to make out what they were saying.

_We’re going to need to section…_

_There’s heavy bleeding…_

With every word he made out, Ben’s imagination ran further away with him. He needed to scream into nothing, he needed to hit something because if there was a pain in his knuckles then that would take away from the almighty fear that was crushing his chest, taking the air from his lungs. It was like being stuck at the bottom of a frozen lake, cold and dark without anywhere to go.

He was drowning in his own terror.

Then he heard it.

The most beautiful sound in the whole fucking world.

Through the door he heard his child cry, taking her first breaths of life. Through the glass, he watched completely dumbstruck as the tiny, wriggling human was wrapped in a blanket. The door opened suddenly, and he jumped back, a nurse smiling at him.

“Mr. Solo?” she flicked her head back, indicating for him to step into the room.

He was handed a cover for his clothes, pulling the ugly green fabric on before the nurse passed his daughter to him.

“Congratulations, you’ve got a healthy baby girl,”

He nodded vaguely to show he understood but he couldn’t take his eyes from his daughter as he accepted her into his trembling arms. She was so tiny in comparison to his massive frame, blinking up at him with impossibly dark, unfocused eyes, a crop of black hair already on her head and he knew he would never hold anything so precious.

She already had a scent. It was just like her mother’s, but lighter and fresher like a sea breeze. He had fallen in love all over again, instantly being pulled like a magnet to his daughter. His anchor.

“I love you so much,” he whispered, kissing his daughter on her soft forehead.

He was so enchanted with the tiny girl that he hadn’t noticed his mother come into the room, wearing the same coverall that he had been given, she was trying to look over his shoulder and he bent down to she could see her new granddaughter a little better.

“She’s beautiful Ben,” Leia said softly, “She looks like her mother,”

“Thank god for that!” Ben chuckled with a watery smile, but his expression sobered quickly.

Rey was still not awake.

The activity around her bed had died down. Her scent was there but in comparison to the irregular spikes and adrenaline he had smelled on her for the past 15 hours, it was muted somehow, suppressed and mingled with the harsh sterilization of the hospital room. He felt sick in the pit of his stomach as Doctor Ahsoka approached them, his heart beating wildly.

What would he do if he lost her? If she had given him the greatest gift she could in their daughter but in return had lost her own life. His muscles were so tensed they ached, his teeth tender from having clenched his jaw so tightly. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, waiting for the doctor to speak.

“Mr. Solo, the placenta detached during the course of the labor and your wife lost a lot of blood,” she explained steadily, “but we were able to stop the bleeding and your wife is out of any immediate danger,”

Ben could only nod. The sheer volume of emotions he was feeling was terrifying, threatening to take his knees from under him, his head spinning wildly. It was as if the world around him was muffled, the doctor was still speaking, answering any questions that Leia was asking but he heard none of it.

“Can I go to her?” he interrupted, and the doctor nodded.

Leia held her arms open to accept his daughter and he immediately felt the loss from his arms when he reluctantly relinquished her to her grandmother. Following the Doctor, Leia left the room to take her to the nursery in the next room, giving Ben some privacy.

He inhaled sharply, wiping his face, shoving his messy hair out of his eyes. He had been here before, watching her as she lay pale in a hospital bed. It wasn’t fair, he thought bitterly. She was too good for this. It should have been her holding their daughter for the first time, not him.

Reaching out, he stroked her peaceful face, holding her hand and trying to push away the fear of how cold she felt.

“I love you,” he whispered softly, “I don’t know what else to say to you except that. I should tell you more often, every hour of every damn day,” he took a deep, shuddering breath.

“Our daughter is beautiful, she’s so perfect,” He smiled, “She looks just like you…”

He squeezed her hand, dismayed that there was no response except the steady rise and fall of her chest as she took shallow breaths.

“That’s why you need to wake up, okay? You need to wake up because we…we have a beautiful baby girl and I _can’t_ do this without you…” he said firmly, his voice breaking as he leaned against her bed, bending down to kiss her lifeless lips, willing them to respond.

“Please…please don’t do this to me…” he begged his forehead against hers, his tears falling against her skin.

Ben could no longer hold back the overwhelming sorrow that had been threatening to consume him, sinking to his knees next to the bed as he sobbed, his cries of grief the only sound in the room.

00000

_Beep_

_Beep_

_Beep_

Rey had heard that tune before.

She had woken to that acrid sterile scent before and she wrinkled her nose, her eyes twitching as her brain slowly began to work again. There was a familiar weight against her side, holding onto her hand. There, among the disinfectant, she could smell him, igniting her senses and despite the ache in her lower body she smiled.

Rey regarded her husband, her mate, with sadness. He was sitting on the chair next to her bed, hunched over with his head lying on the mattress in a contorted position that couldn’t have been comfortable for his large frame.

_My poor Alpha_

It wasn’t fair on him, she thought, once again sitting by her hospital bed waiting for her to wake. It was clear he had been crying and her heart bled for him. He had been put through so much.

“Ben,” She tried to speak, her voice rough, “Ben, wake up…”

He raised his head to face her, his bleary eyes blinking rapidly to clear his vision. At first, he thought he was seeing things, he was imagining her hazel eyes gazing down at him in worry and love but when he felt her hand move in his and her mouth break into a smile he knew it was real. She was awake, she was with him.

“Rey…” he breathed, immediately reaching for her and pressing his lips against hers trying to convey his relief, his want and his unfathomable love in the single action. She tasted like heaven, moving her lips against his tenderly, offering him access and running her tongue along his and he almost whimpered against her, his terror still not completely abated.

Much to his relief, she was smiling when he pulled away.

“Where’s our daughter?”

00000

They were a mass of tangled limbs, naked and panting as he ran his hands over her thigh, his nimble fingers finding her sensitive clit and she moaned into the crook of his neck, the pads of his fingers circling her.

“Fuck sweetheart, you’re soaked already,” Ben teased, nipping at her earlobe, his breath hot on her skin, “Have you missed me?”

Rey was about to answer with something obscene when a cry rang through the air from the baby monitor on the chest of drawers in their bedroom. Rey groaned a frustrated huff of a laugh against the naked skin on her mate’s chest as Ben withdrew his fingers. She moved to get up, but Ben stopped her.

“You stay in bed,” he smiled, kissing her soundly, “I’ll get her,”

He pulled on a pair of black sleeping pants, taking one last look at his naked wife and groaning, biting his lip before padding through on bare feet to his daughter’s nursery.

“Hey there, little starlight,” he said softly, picking up the infant and cradling her against his bare chest, a tiny puff of air from her nose blowing across his skin, “Now, I know you’re not hungry because you’ve just been fed, and you don’t need changing…so you just wanted to be held huh?”

The fussing baby instantly stilled in her father’s arms, resting in contentment and gurgling happily. He had never known an all-consuming love like the one he had for his family. His stunning, strong mate and wife who challenged him and brought light to his life daily, giving him his daughter who he had fallen in love with the minute he had laid eyes on her.

_My girls_

Rey’s recovery had taken many weeks having lost so much blood. Ben still worried and fussed over her, much to Rey’s vexation, but she allowed him to do so. He had been so distraught at the idea of almost losing her for the second time, so she indulged his protective instincts.

Gently, he rocked his daughter, feeling her still and drift back to sleep in his arms.

“Is Hope asleep?”

He looked up to see Rey, clad in only her satin robe, standing in the doorway, a serene smile on her face. He nodded, carefully laying Hope down into her crib, confident that she would sleep through the rest of the night and thanking any God that was listening that they had been blessed with a baby who, generally, slept well.

Rey walked over to her husband, her hands splaying over his chest, reaching up on her toes to kiss him, pulling at his bottom lip with her teeth gently. He smirked against her mouth.

“Come back to bed, Ben,”

_MateMateMate_


	32. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And of course, we're finishing with a little smut ;)
> 
> Until next time, you filthy lot xx

[ ](https://imgur.com/EKtzBlS)

“Okay, as per usual I have left loads of bottled water in the fridge,” Rose said, walking Ben and Rey through their kitchen, “There’s so much food I doubt you’ll need to shop again for a week after, my new number is on the front of fridge and there’s also fresh sheets there for you that you can throw away later because God damn it, I am the best friend you’ll ever have…”

“Rose, you know you really don’t need to do this every time…” Rey began.

“But we appreciate it,” Ben said, immediately reaching into the cupboard and pulling out a box of Twinkies, unwrapping one and taking a bite, “We really, really appreciate it…”

“Well, what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help my bestie and her husband screw like animals for a week?” Rose shrugged, “Normal…I guess is the answer…anyway, I’ll leave you guys to it. Any problems what are the rules?”

“Call 911 then call you,” Both Rey and Ben answered methodically together at the same time.

“You’re damn right Solos,” Rose smiled, “Now if you’ll excuse me mama has a date!”

“Anyone, we know?” Rey asked, walking her friend to the front door.

“Some guy Poe hooked me up with last week, Temmin Wexley, but everyone calls him Snap…don’t ask me why. He’s a cutie though, like a big ol’ teddy bear!” Rose gushed, a blush rising on her cheeks.

Rey grinned, hugging her friend and telling her to have a good time and waving a silent farewell to Rose’s car as she pulled away. Rey closed the door, locking it firmly behind her and returning to the kitchen where Ben was on his third twinkie.

“You know, those are meant to last us…”

“What can I say? I’m going to need the energy,” he winked, finishing the cake and rising his sticky hands.

“Are you sure Hope is going to be okay with your parents?” Rey asked warily. Ben approached her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close to his body. He could feel her temperature was up already, her scent teasing his senses.

“Sweetheart, you know my mom is thrilled to have her for the week,” he soothed, “This isn’t the first time she’s been away from us, she’ll be absolutely fine,”

The first time Hope had spent the week away from her parents was when Ben and Rey had finally gone on their long-awaited honeymoon, leaving around the time of their first wedding anniversary. He had gone to painstaking lengths to hide the location from her, making it to the plane until the cover was blown.

He had taken her to Italy, renting a private villa on the edge of Lake Garda. The beauty of the location and the knowledge that they were completely alone for a week without the responsibilities of looking after a baby softened Rey’s separation anxiety. She missed her infant daughter, but she needed her mate.

Leia was more than thrilled to accept childcare duties whenever the couple needed time alone. It wasn’t too often. Ben felt jittery and touchy being away from his daughter for too long, another protective instinct he was noting for future research, and Rey simply missed her child too much, but weeks like this one? It simply wasn’t appropriate to have Hope in the house with them.

“I suppose you’re right,” Rey sighed, “I just miss her when she’s not nearby,”

“Well I miss her too,” Ben agreed, “But do you really think when your heat hits properly that it’s a good idea to have her here? You know it’s for the best. Did you, uh, did you get your extra shot?”

Rey smiled at her husband gently. Occasionally she breached the subject of having more children in the future, but Ben was still traumatized from their last experience of Rey giving birth. She understood. While she had been the one who had been unconscious, Ben had to stand back and watch on helplessly without any way of knowing if she would wake. He wasn’t ready to be put through that kind of stress again.

“Yes,” She confirmed, stroking his face, “I went to the doctor two days ago and they gave me my Omega shot. We’re all covered,”

She felt his shoulders drop as he sighed in relief, the tension draining from him.

“Good,” he smiled wickedly, “Because I intend on doing all kinds of filthy things to you later and that’s not a worry that we need…”

“Hmm, are you going to go full Alpha on me husband?” Rey asked huskily, desire already beginning to bloom low in her belly. Ben’s eyes darkened.

“You want to play with me little Omega?”

_Matematemate_

00000

She had woken to him hovering over her, his tongue licking against the scent glands in her neck and the mating gland on the junction between her neck and shoulder, stoking the fire that was already burning inside her, her skin tingling all over with sensation as his hands travelled down her naked body, his fingers brushing over her sensitive nipples.

He growled against her neck, knowing she was awake, smelling her arousal as her slick dripped down her thighs. This was the beginning of it, her heat, when her body was begging for her Alpha to fuck her full of his cum to dowse the searing warmth that was spreading before it all became too much.

“Fuck, Rey, you smell so good,” he snarled, nipping at her, leaving tiny marks on her skin. Her back arched, moaning into his touch, inhaling his spicy, warm scent deeply as her aching pussy throbbed in response.

“I’m going to lick your cunt until you’re begging for me” he growled, his lips traveling down her body as she panted, her chest heaving, “Your Alpha is going to fuck you so hard until your needy little pussy is dripping with my cum. Is that what you want Omega?”

“Yes…God yes…Please, Alpha…” she breathed, her mind so assaulted with the sensation of his touch on her body, his scent in her nostrils and the sharpening ache of lust in her gut that she could barely form anything coherent past throaty appeals.

His hands on her thighs he pushed her open, staring at her perfect, pink folds, with open-mouthed awe, his nostrils flaring with barely held control. He felt like he was drunk on her, his head swimming with her scent, the sounds of her begging whimpers in his ears.

Who was he to deny his Omega anything?

Holding her thighs firmly in place, he flicked at the tight bundle of nerves with the tip of his tongue, back and forth quickly, the staccato of movement making Rey gasp as she arched from the bed, his body anchoring her lower half to him.

Like a dying man being given a final chance, he sucked at her, his lips and tongue pulling and probing, lapping as much of her taste as he could get, and he groaned against her, the vibrations from his throat pushing her closer and closer to the edge.

“Ben…Alpha…Ben…” she babbled, her mind and body a slave to his will and when she felt him push two digits into her, she cried out. He was painfully hard, his cock weeping copiously as he ground himself against the mattress, needing some kind of friction, some kind of relief.

“Knot me Alpha, please…fuck…I need you to fuck me…please…”

He had barely curled his fingers against that glorious patch of nerves that made her come undone when she keened from the bed, her back arched and her mouth open in a silent scream, her whole-body convulsing around him as her thighs clamped and tensed around his ears.

She had barely recovered from the orgasm that had washed over her when he crawled up her body, sinking himself in her to the hilt, his hips pressed flush against hers and he growled in ecstasy at the feeling of her hot, slicked walls holding all of him.

“Arms around my neck,” he commanded, “Hold onto me…”

Grasping her hands around him, he thrust roughly, his hips snapping against hers at a frantic, animalistic pace and she whimpered each time, the friction against her clit as he moved, his head hammering against her cervix in a sharp nip of pleasure and pain that her body craved from him.

“Look at me,” he growled through gritted teeth, “Look at me, I need to see you…”

Her eyes locked with his, those dark, coffee brown eyes that she was so familiar with, that she had gotten lost in so many times. Practically black with lust but misted with so much love it bordered on obsession in her heat, the intensity of knowing he was the one making her feel this way, that she was the one driving him to distraction with her scent and her body. He would never tire of seeing her this way, completely bent to his will, open and vulnerable for him.

_My Omega_

She couldn’t look away, even as she reached her peak and she came around him, her pussy clenching around his cock, pulling his growing knot. A string of curses fell from his lips as he yelled his own release, thick ropes of his cum driving into her, his thighs and ass clenching with the effort.

His arms trembled holding his weight, so he didn’t crush her, and he kissed her ardently, tongues and teeth as they felt the other’s frantic heartbeats against their chests, their breathing coming in shallow, spent pants.

Falling to his side, her leg thrown over his hip as they faced each other, she smiled sated at him, her eyes still glassy with her heat but shining with adoration and affection for her Alpha. Content in their silence, their breathing began to slow, hearts returning to a regular rhythm.

“I love you, Ben” she breathed, as he trailed kisses along the mating mark he had given her, his hands drawing lazy patterns over the bare skin on her side.

“I love you, Rey,”

The past could die for all she cared. Her future was right there with her.

_MateMateMate_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe it's all over. I'm actually so sad to be finishing this story, however, I am immensely proud of what it turned into considering I really only began with an idea for a little College AU smut. Now we get to leave our babies in peace with their happy ending.
> 
> I would like to say thank you to everyone who has read, commented, kudos and offered encouragement to my writing. It's meant the world to me, you have no idea!
> 
> I'd also like to say a special thank you to folks like Strawberrycupcake_huckleberrypie, Perrydowning, and Kylotrashforever for their encouragement, especially when I was feeling particularly deflated. I really look up to their writing style and love their work so it really pushed me through. Your defense of this unknown little Reylo writer has really made me feel the reylo fam love.
> 
> Please don't hesitate to come and say hi to me on Tumblr! I love chatting with folk and it's where you can keep up with all my other stories too - I have 2: https://itspixelbitch.tumblr.com/ (Personal) and https://polkadotdotdotreylo.tumblr.com/ (Reylo and writing)
> 
> Much Love, 
> 
> PD3 xxx


End file.
